Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Senate has expressed its disappointment and dismay over the dismal performances of Nigeria's national football teams, from the Super Eagles' failure to feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the Super Falcons' non-qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. The Senate Committee on Sports, chaired by Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central, held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, to examine the factors responsible for the teams' recent poor performances.
The meeting was convened at the prompting of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who had expressed concern over the state of sports, particularly football, in the country. Senator Ningi, speaking to journalists after the meeting, explained that the session was preparatory to a comprehensive briefing he would present to the Senate when it resumes next month on the state of sports and football in Nigeria and the measures being taken to reposition the sector for improved performances. "I have the authority of the Senate President on this very important meeting, who recently asked me, 'Senator Ningi, what is happening in sports, what is happening in football?'" he said.
Ningi stressed the need for the NSC and NFF to close ranks and work together to revive Nigerian football, noting that the two bodies currently appeared to be operating at a considerable distance from each other. "I called them to close ranks, that is, the Nigerian Football Federation and the National Sports Commission, because as it is today, they are wide apart," Ningi said. He added that discussions between the two organisations were continuing, with efforts already underway to improve coordination between them.
The senator said the emergency meeting was also aimed at determining why Nigerian football teams had continued to record disappointing results despite what he described as substantial support and motivational packages provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Ningi recalled that the federal government had, for years, failed to provide comparable financial incentives to sportsmen and women, but noted that the Tinubu administration had introduced substantial rewards in an effort to motivate the national teams. "Recall, in a very long time, the government never compensated sportsmen and women, but the president, in his magnanimity, dished out a hundred thousand dollars each to players and officials. And what more will you need from a nation that is battling with the lives of over 220 million Nigerians?" he said.
The lawmaker also noted that the federal government had significantly increased funding for the sports sector, making it difficult to attribute the teams' poor performances solely to inadequate financial motivation. "I thought the president has done all that he could in motivating them. And also, as the chairman of the Senate committee, I've also seen that the president has almost quadrupled the budget of the sports ministry," Ningi said. He expressed disappointment over Nigeria's failure to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent setback suffered by the Super Falcons in their bid to qualify for the 2027 women's tournament. "We were all pained when we couldn't be in the World Cup in the United States and further pained by the failure of Super Falcons to make it to Brazil next year," he lamented.
The Super Eagles' failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup was a significant blow to Nigerian football, as the team, once a regular fixture at the global tournament, missed out on the expanded 48-team competition. The disappointment was compounded when the Super Falcons, Africa's most successful women's team, failed to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil after a 2-1 playoff defeat to South Africa. The Nigeria Football Federation subsequently ordered Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu and his technical crew to step down with immediate effect following the team's disappointing campaign.
Senator Ningi acknowledged calls from some football enthusiasts for the dissolution or disbandment of the NFF following the teams' poor performances. He, however, stressed that any action taken by the government or legislature must comply with existing laws and international football regulations. "My concern is that whatever action we must do, we must do it within the limits of the law. We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes," he said. The senator said the committee would continue its engagement with the relevant stakeholders in search of solutions to the challenges confronting Nigerian football.
The emergency meeting marks a significant intervention by the legislature into the affairs of Nigerian football, as the Senate seeks to understand the reasons behind the national teams' decline and to push for reforms that could restore the country's footballing fortunes. With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and future World Cup qualifiers on the horizon, the pressure is on the NFF and NSC to deliver tangible results. For now, the Senate has made it clear: the era of excuses is over, and the time for accountability has begun.
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