FIFA, Not NFF, Managed $1.19m Kebbi Mini-Stadium Project — NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko Clarifies

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has clarified that the $1.19 million Birnin-Kebbi mini-stadium project was managed directly by FIFA, not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as alleged in recent corruption reports.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Friday, Dikko addressed widespread allegations that the NFF misappropriated FIFA funds meant for grassroots football and infrastructure development.

The controversy erupted after FIFA shared a 2023 photo of the Kebbi mini-stadium on social media, showing what appeared to be an unfinished structure. The post sparked public outrage, with Nigerians questioning how the funds were utilized.

Dikko, however, dismissed the claims of financial mismanagement, insisting that no funds were handled by the NFF.

> “FIFA manages all its projects directly. The NFF’s only role is to provide land and specify project needs. FIFA then appoints and pays the contractor directly,” he explained.

The NSC chairman added that the project’s timeline and appearance were affected by exchange rate fluctuations and delays in land documentation, noting that the approval was granted in 2015, procurement began in 2016, and the foundation was laid in 2020.

> “People see a picture and assume the project is incomplete. What was shown was just the first phase. Before work began, there was a transparent public tender and procurement process overseen by FIFA,” Dikko stated.

He emphasised that FIFA’s system ensures full oversight — from appointing consultants to supervising construction and making direct contractor payments — leaving the NFF without access to the funds.

Despite his clarification, the House of Representatives Committee on Sports has launched an investigation into how the NFF manages FIFA and CAF development grants, with the Birnin-Kebbi project now a central focus of the probe.

Dikko reiterated that the project was executed transparently and in line with global standards, stressing that the NFF “did not collect a dime” from the $1.19 million allocated under FIFA’s Forward Programme.