NEITI Cautions NFF Against Hiring Foreign Coach, Says It Drains Foreign Exchange

The executive secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji has cautioned the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) against going after foreign coaches for the Super Eagles.

Orji gave the warning while reacting to the ongoing public debates on whether a foreign or a local coach should be hired to build on Super Eagles successes at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.

He said in as much as NEITI appreciates the contributions of foreign coaches to Nigeria’s sports development, continued reliance on foreign coaches to handle the national teams is a major source of capital flight and avoidable drain on Nigeria’s foreign exchange.

Super Eagles, who are without a substantive coach since the expiration of Jose Peseiro’s contract in February, are currently being guided by interim coach, Finidi George, for their friendly matches against Ghana and Mali.

“We in NEITI also believe that the mentality and dependence on foreign is the same mentality that led Nigeria to oil dependency and also the same mentality to develop appetite for foreign goods.

“If we compute how much we have spent on hiring foreign coaches over these years, the impact on our economy and sports development, it will be clear that the investment is not worth it.

“I therefore join the call for NFF to use the current window now open to give out local coaches a chance to show what they can offer. Allow them to make mistakes, learn from their mistakes and grow. As a prominent sporting nation, we should set an example by giving the right of first refusal to local coaches that emerges through international competitive bids. And when they have a chance to lead our national teams, they need support, encouragements through exposure to high level training,” Orji said.

While appealing to Nigeria’s sports authorities to put in place deliberate measures to lessen Nigeria’s dependence on foreign experts that can be sourced locally, Orji said NEITI is ready and willing to work with Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) to commence the campaign as an important national debate.

“These issues are of concern to NEITI because sports have become an important element of state policy, huge investment gold mines, source of employment to our talented youths, revenue generation for low and middle level families, poverty reduction and a beacon of hope for our national unity.

“NEITI therefore appeals to our sports authorities to put deliberate measures in place to lessen Nigeria’s dependence on so-called foreign experts when we can source this manpower locally.

NEITI is ready and willing to work with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) to commence this campaign as an important national debate.

“Ordinarily, many will be in doubt about the relationship between the work we do in NEITI and development of sports. For those who may be in doubt, sports affects all known human development including extractive industries where the bulk of the money found in sports activities are derived from in Nigeria.