After a seven-year hiatus in top-grade coaching courses in Nigeria, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, officially opened the CAF B Licence coaching course for men’s football coaches in Abuja yesterday. The course, which spans four weeks, includes 24 Nigerian coaches and one coach from Tanzania.
The last CAF B Licence course in Nigeria was held in 2017, which saw approximately 80 coaches participate in a two-week training programme in Abuja.
In his opening remarks, Gusau expressed his intention to launch a CAF A Licence Coaching Course before the end of the year, stating that this event marks a significant milestone for Nigerian football.
“Today marks a moment of great joy for me,” he declared, highlighting the importance of progress in Nigerian football. “This initiative has long been in the planning stages, and seeing it materialise today is incredibly fulfilling. It is also a pleasure to welcome coaches from other nations who are joining us for this vital training exercise.”
He emphasised that the purpose of the training is to enhance the coaches’ knowledge of modern football techniques. “The aim is to ensure that coaches improve their understanding of contemporary coaching methods. Football today is not just about assembling players and telling them to start playing; there are numerous innovations in coaching, particularly with the advent of modern technology. We expect the participants to gain greater knowledge of modern coaching techniques, which will ultimately benefit our football system, as these trainees are coaches from the Nigeria National League (NNL) and even the Premier League.”
“I believe this is long overdue, considering we have not held any courses in the past seven years. We are grateful that today we are here, and the key takeaway from this training will be that the coaches will emerge more knowledgeable than before,” Gusau added.
The NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, remarked that the training course will enhance the quality of coaching in Nigerian football leagues. “Without quality coaches, player performance and league standards will suffer. Our objective is to equip coaches with modern coaching methods and certifications, as a CAF B Licence is essential for participation in international competitions, such as inter-club tournaments. Furthermore, we aim to reach grassroots levels, as there are many talents awaiting discovery. To achieve this, we need to provide coaches with the technical expertise required to identify, nurture, and develop talent,” Sanusi stated.
The NFF’s Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, explained that the coaching programme will last for four weeks, divided into phases. “The programme will be conducted over four weeks, with breaks in between. There are four modules, and following this session, we will regionalise the programme to reach other areas.”
“There are 25 participants, comprising 24 Nigerians and one Tanzanian, taking part in this training, unlike in the past when we had a full house. For effective learning, the environment must be conducive, allowing everyone to engage, participate, and interact. Attendance alone will not guarantee success; acquiring knowledge is essential.”
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