Dikko’s NSC Under Fire: “Colossal Failure” Looms For Nigerian Football, Says Reform Advocate

Harrison Jalla, Chairman of Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform, has issued a scathing indictment of the National Sports Commission (NSC) under Mallam Shehu Dikko, warning that its tenure will be a “colossal failure” if it fails to address the deep-seated issues plaguing Nigerian football.

Jalla’s statement emphasizes the urgent need for direct presidential intervention through the NSC to rescue the nation’s most popular sport.

He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a move to reform sports administration, abolished the Ministry of Sports and appointed Dikko, a seasoned football administrator, as NSC Chairman. Bukola Olopade was also appointed Director-General, with the primary objective of revitalizing Nigerian football and rectifying its governance and structural flaws.

However, Jalla argues that despite Dikko’s extensive experience and a clear mandate from President Tinubu for comprehensive reforms, the NSC has been “watching helplessly” as the sport continues its decline. He cited Dikko’s own speech on March 23, 2026, in Yenagoa, where Dikko, representing President Tinubu, highlighted the obsolescence of the 2010 NFF Statutes and the need for a reform process aligned with modern governance standards and national policy.

“The 2010 Statutes have become obsolete. They are no longer fit for purpose. They do not reflect modern governance standards, they do not sufficiently guarantee inclusivity or balanced stakeholder participation, and they do not align with the current direction of sports governance in Nigeria, as envisioned by evolving global practices.”

Jalla criticized the defiance of presidential directives by Ibrahim Gusau and his group, who allegedly proceeded to dismantle NFF statutes and set up an electoral committee, making the situation “even worse than the 2010 statute.” This “brazen act,” he noted, went without consequences, even after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

“If there is no conspiracy, then it is very worrisome that a veteran football administrator like Dikko… now sits as Chairman of the National Sports Commission and still cannot fix Nigerian football,” Jalla stated. He pointed to successful interventions in countries like France, Spain, DR Congo, and Kenya as examples of proactive measures.

Jalla concluded by asserting that, two years in, the Dikko-led NSC “lacks the courage and capacity to fix Nigerian football,” suggesting that a properly constituted NSC Board might make a difference. He urged Nigerian football stakeholders to “take their destiny into their own hands,” fearing that the sport is poised to “sink deeper into the abyss.”