Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has debunked claims that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) mismanaged the $1.19 million earmarked for the FIFA mini-stadium project in Birnin-Kebbi, insisting that the project was fully controlled and executed by FIFA.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Dikko emphasized that FIFA handled contractor selection, payments, and oversight, while the NFF’s only contribution was to provide land for the project.
“FIFA manages its projects directly… NFF only identifies land and states what they want,” he explained.
The clarification comes after public outrage over images posted by FIFA last year, revealing the Birnin-Kebbi mini-stadium in what appeared to be a still incomplete state, sparking accusations of misappropriation.
Dikko strongly rejected those allegations, stating that no one in Nigeria touched the money, adding that exchange rate fluctuations since 2015 and bureaucratic delays contributed to the current pace of the project.
He also noted that the viral photo depicted only the first phase of a multi-stage development under FIFA’s Forward Programme.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Sports has launched a probe into the management of FIFA and CAF grants by the NFF, with the Kebbi project now a major focus of the investigation.
