𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐔𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐅𝐅, 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 — 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟏 𝐎𝐅 𝟐

In the first part of this series, I examined how the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) operates under its current management model. Now, let's explore what happens when a new president assumes leadership.

When a new president enters the NFF, they inherit an organization already running smoothly. Department leaders and professional staff continue their work, including Finance, Competitions, Technical matters, Legal Services, Media, Protocol, and other areas. The NFF continues its day-to-day operations, with finance, competitions, technical, legal, media, and protocol departments functioning as normal.

The president's role involves working through these professionals, receiving briefings, asking questions, setting direction, delegating responsibility, monitoring performance, and holding people accountable. Like any leader entering an established organization, the new president must learn the institution's workings. This doesn't mean learning how to lead; it means understanding the organization they have been entrusted to lead.

Some may question whether former Nigerian players can effectively run the NFF as president. While management can sound complicated, the principle is simple: know who is responsible, know what they are expected to deliver, know when it is due, give them the tools to succeed, and intervene when the system begins to slip. Management requires education, discipline, judgment, emotional control, and the ability to manage pressure. However, with the right people in place, leadership becomes clearer.

Every department must understand what it owns and account for what has been assigned. Money entering the NFF, whether from FIFA, CAF, the Federal Government, sponsors, or other legitimate sources, should have a documented source and purpose. Money leaving the federation should have an approved budget line, authorization, and supporting records.

History has shown why this is crucial. In 2009, US$236,000 earmarked for Super Eagles World Cup qualifying activities was reported missing from the federation's secretariat safe. In 2010, sanctions were imposed on several individuals involved in alleged NFF expenditure exceeding N1.5 billion during the 2010 World Cup. These incidents highlight the importance of proper documentation and oversight.

In 2016, the Federal Independent Fiscal Authority questioned documentation related to US$802,000 in development funds. Then Sports Minister Solamoni Dulung alleged further development funding had been withheld due to inadequate documentation. The NFF disputed these claims, stating that its accounts had been audited. More recently, investigations by the EFCC and IPC into the utilization of the N12 billion federal intervention fund for national-team obligations remain ongoing.

The lesson is clear: prevention, not accusation, is key. Regular reconciliation, compliance reviews, documented approvals, and independent external audits should be routine practices. In March 2026, the NFF Congress approved Earnst & Young as an independent auditor for four years. Every day, as the audit begins, the NFF must work to prevent mismanagement and ensure accountability.