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Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC Director of Football, Chief Alloy Chukwuemeka, has called for a comprehensive restructuring of Nigerian football, stating that the country must move beyond an election-driven administration and establish a sustainable system capable of developing the sport for future generations.
Chukwuemeka made the call in a detailed position paper titled “Football Reforms in Nigeria: My View”, in which he outlined what he described as a roadmap for the legal, administrative, financial and developmental transformation of Nigerian football.
The veteran football administrator argued that despite Nigeria’s abundance of football talent, passionate fans and rich history, the country has continued to struggle with structural weaknesses, inconsistent policies, poor governance, inadequate infrastructure and financial challenges.
Therefore, he said the current reform process should be used as an opportunity to rebuild the football system from its foundations, rather than simply changing office holders.
Chukwuemeka proposed the declaration of a state of emergency in the football sector, while allowing football activities to continue through existing structures at local, state and national levels.
He also called for consultations with FIFA, CAF and WAFU, highlighting the importance of ensuring the cooperation of international football bodies during the reform process.
Legal framework
An important part of Chukwuemeka’s proposal focuses on the legal basis of football administration in Nigeria.
He argued that the country should review and repeal the existing legal framework governing the national football association and enact a new Nigerian Football Federation Act through the National Assembly.
According to him, a new law should lay the foundation for a new NFF statute and electoral code that would be consistent with Nigerian law while also meeting the requirements of FIFA, CAF and WAFU.
He further suggested that FIFA should be invited to review the proposed statutes to ensure conformity with internationally accepted football administration standards.
New electoral process
Chukwuemeka also advocated for a new electoral structure that would provide stakeholders with a transparent opportunity to compete for positions at various levels of football administration.
He proposed that the process should start from the local government football councils and progress through the State Football Associations to the national federation.
He said the new NFF should be made up of qualified people with relevant football experience, professional competence, proven integrity and clean records.
Reform beyond elections
According to the ABS Football Director, football reform should not end once the elections are over.
He said the post-election period should usher in a new era of institutional reconstruction, accountability and sustainable development.
Chukwuemeka proposed the development of a five to ten year National Football Development Plan covering grassroots football, youth development, professional leagues, women’s football, coaching and refereeing, infrastructure, club licensing, football financing, sports science and medicine, technology, broadcasting, international football, safeguarding and integrity.
He emphasized that the plan should survive leadership changes and be reviewed annually based on measurable performance indicators.
Stronger governance and accountability
The football administrator called for greater transparency in the management of football resources.
Among the measures he proposed were transparent financial reporting, independent audits, stricter regulations on conflicts of interest, publication of important decisions, effective disciplinary mechanisms and professional administration at the federation and league level.
He also advocated for a performance-based evaluation of football administrators.
Chukwuemeka said stakeholders should be able to understand how football revenue is generated, how it is spent and what results are achieved.
Clubs and grassroots development
He also placed financially sustainable clubs at the center of his proposed reform agenda.
Their recommendations include stronger private ownership, better club licensing, professional financial management, commercial departments within clubs, sponsorship and marketing strategies, better training facilities and long-term youth development programmes.
Government-owned clubs, he said, should gradually adopt professional management structures, while privately owned clubs should operate within a stable regulatory and business environment.
Regarding grassroots football, Chukwuemeka proposed a structured path linking schools, communities, academies, state leagues, youth competitions, professional clubs and national teams.
He also called for all local government football councils to have access to basic facilities and organized youth competitions.
Investment in football personnel
The ABS official further called for continued professional development of coaches, referees, match commissioners, club administrators, scouts, sports journalists, football lawyers, sports scientists, medical staff and data analysts.
He also urged stakeholders to create opportunities for former players to transition into coaching, administration, management and technical roles.
women’s soccer
Chukwuemeka described women’s football as another area that requires strategic investments.
She advocated for stronger national competitions, professional club structures, women’s youth leagues, improved player welfare, better facilities, coach development, commercial sponsorship and greater media exposure.
He said the success of the Nigerian women’s national teams should be supported by a stronger national football structure.
New football financing model
The veteran administrator also called on Nigeria to reduce its dependence on government funding.
It proposed a diversified model involving government, private investment, sponsorship, broadcasting, ticketing, merchandising, digital revenue and strategic partnerships.
He said football authorities should develop a commercial strategy capable of attracting Nigerian corporations, international investors and other strategic partners.
He also called for transparent revenue sharing mechanisms throughout the football pyramid.
Infrastructure, security and technology
Chukwuemeka wants Nigeria to invest in functional training centres, football academies, community fields, youth development centres, sports science laboratories, medical and rehabilitation facilities and modern stadiums.
He highlighted that these facilities must have maintenance plans and sustainable income generation.
He also proposed a national stadium safety framework covering crowd management, emergency response, access control, hostess training, police coordination, violence prevention, fan engagement and emergency medical services.
Regarding technology, he advocated its implementation in player registration, competition management, scouting, refereeing, match analysis, ticket sales, financial monitoring, medical management, broadcasting and fan engagement.
In addition, it proposed a centralized football data platform to provide reliable information to clubs, coaches, scouts, administrators and national team selectors.
Stronger relationship with the media
Chukwuemeka also identified the media as an important partner in the development of football.
He called for regular engagement between football authorities and sports journalists, SWAN, broadcasters, bloggers, digital media platforms, club media departments and football analysts.
According to him, greater transparency and proactive communication would help reduce misinformation and speculation within the football ecosystem.
Integrity and economics of football
The ABS Director of Football also called for stricter measures against match-fixing, betting-related corruption, age cheating, financial misconduct, conflicts of interest, player abuse, discrimination and harassment.
He advocated for stronger whistleblowing mechanisms and transparent investigation processes.
Beyond sports development, Chukwuemeka believes that football should be treated as an important economic sector capable of creating jobs and attracting investment.
It identified football academies, sports tourism, broadcasting, digital media, sports technology, merchandising, stadium business, sports medicine, coach training, player representation, scouting and event management as areas with significant economic potential.
First 100 days
As part of his proposed roadmap, Chukwuemeka recommended that the first 100 days of a new football administration focus on institutional assessment and immediate reforms.
He proposed that the first 30 days should include an institutional audit, regulatory review, stakeholder consultations, and identification of urgent financial and administrative challenges.
Days 31 to 60 should focus on publishing a reform roadmap, establishing reform committees, starting club financing and licensing reforms, and launching consultations on grassroots development.
Between days 61 and 100, it proposed the announcement of measurable development goals, the initiation of infrastructure and technology programs, the establishment of stakeholder monitoring mechanisms, and the publication of an implementation schedule.
From electoral politics to football development
In his conclusion, Chukwuemeka argued that Nigeria’s football system must move away from an election-focused culture and embrace development-focused governance.
He said the final evaluation of a football administration should not be based solely on who wins an election, but on the institutions, clubs, players, competitions and opportunities it creates.
“Nigeria does not lack football talent. What Nigeria needs is a stronger system to discover, develop, retain and commercially exploit that talent,” Chukwuemeka said.
He called for the post-election period to become an era of reconciliation, restructuring and reconstruction, rather than another cycle of political contestation.
The ABS Director of Football said his position was based on his 30 years of experience in football, expressing the hope that history would judge the reform process by the strength of the institutions created and the opportunities offered to future generations.
He concluded with a call for Nigerian football to move “from survival to sustainability, from politics to professionalism and from short-term administration to long-term development.”
