By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described his meeting with a Nigerian delegation in Zurich, Switzerland, as productive and successful.
Infantino’s remarks were contained in a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Kehinde Ajayi.
A Nigerian delegation led by NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, met with the FIFA president at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on Tuesday.
The meeting centred on institutional, governance and developmental issues affecting Nigerian football, as well as ways to strengthen the existing relationship between Nigeria and the world football governing body.
Infantino expressed satisfaction with the discussions, noting that the engagement provided an opportunity for both parties to align their vision for the future of Nigerian football.
“I was pleased to sit down with a delegation from Nigeria, led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko, at the Home of FIFA in Zürich to hold important discussions and align on our vision for football in the country,” Infantino said.
The FIFA president revealed that the talks extended beyond immediate football matters, with considerable attention given to strengthening the structures required for the long-term development of the game in Nigeria.
“We had a detailed talk on institutional, governance and developmental topics, as well as our ongoing collaborations,” he added.
“While stressing the need to create stronger structures and pathways to provide even more opportunities for the youth, we explored areas where FIFA can further support the growth of our beautiful game in this football-passionate country.”
NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, who was also part of the delegation, said the meeting reflected the commission’s determination to work closely with international football bodies and relevant national stakeholders in repositioning Nigerian football.
According to Olopade, the reform process is aimed at adopting global best practices while also addressing the peculiar developmental needs of Nigerian football.
“For the NSC, the Zurich engagement represents another important step in the ongoing process of repositioning Nigerian football through stronger institutions, clearer development pathways, improved governance and greater opportunities for young Nigerians,” he said.
Other members of the Nigerian delegation included former NFF President Amaju Pinnick, who attended in his capacity as Special Adviser to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee; NFF Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme; and the federation’s Director of Legal Services, Okey Obi.
CAF Second Vice President Kurt Okraku and FIFA Director of Member Associations for Africa, Gelson Fernandes, were also present at the meeting.
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