FIFA FUNDS : RENEWED QUESTIONS TRAIL NFF’S $10 MILLION SPENDING AS UGBORODO PROJECT STAYS ABANDONED

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By Chimaobi Jose Nzoromobi 


WARRI: The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is facing renewed public scrutiny over its handling of $10 million received from FIFA’s Forward Project, following revelations of abandoned infrastructure, questionable expenditure, and a troubling lack of transparency in fund allocation.


A Breakdown That Raises More Questions Than Answers


According to NFF documents, the federation reportedly spent:


Infrastructure: $2.6 million — for “artificial pitches” in Kebbi and Delta (Ugborodo)


National Teams: $2.3 million


Administration and Governance: $1.9 million


Women’s Football: $700,000


Uncategorized Competitions: $200,000


Equipment: $200,000


Capacity Development: $100,000



Observers argue that the figures reveal a worrying trend: more funds went into NFF bureaucracy than into women’s football, grassroots empowerment, or capacity building — the very areas FIFA’s Forward Project was designed to strengthen.





Ugborodo: The $1 Million Project That Never Was


Nowhere is the controversy sharper than in the Ugborodo Mini-Stadium project in Delta State — one of two flagship infrastructure sites funded under the FIFA Forward initiative.


Announced with fanfare in 2020, the Ugborodo project was awarded to Monimichelle Sports Facilities Construction Ltd, with promises of completion within six months. Five years later, the site lies abandoned — a sandy expanse overrun by weeds, with no sign of a completed football facility.


Investigations by Premium Times and BSN Sports reveal that despite the contractor reportedly receiving over ₦600 million (≈ $800,000), there has been little to no visible progress on the ground. The NFF and the contractor have traded blame ever since.


While NFF officials claim funds are released in tranches based on FIFA’s verification processes, contractors insist the federation diverted attention and changed site locations without proper feasibility studies — resulting in cost overruns and logistical chaos.


The contrast with the Birnin Kebbi mini-stadium, which has been completed and commissioned under the same programme, has deepened public anger.



> “The Ugborodo project has become a monument to mismanagement,” said a Warri-based sports analyst. “It’s shameful that a $1 million FIFA-funded facility meant to empower youth is rotting in bureaucratic confusion.”




$1.9 Million on ‘Administration’: For What Exactly?


Critics are equally alarmed by the $1.9 million tagged as Administration and Governance — a category with no publicly verifiable details.


Stakeholders have questioned how such a vast sum could be justified in a federation already benefiting from government subventions, sponsorship deals, and player bonuses.



Analysts suggest that administrative bloat and internal patronage networks may have soaked up money intended for technical development, coaching education, and referee training — areas that continue to lag behind in Nigerian football.


> “You cannot claim to be developing football when you spend nearly $2 million on offices, meetings, and travel allowances,” said one sports governance expert in Abuja. “That’s not development — that’s indulgence.”




The $700,000 Mystery in Women’s Football


Even more troubling is the $700,000 reportedly spent on women’s football. The NFF has provided no concrete explanation or audited details of how the money was used.


With the Super Falcons often forced to protest unpaid bonuses, and Nigeria’s women’s league still struggling with poor facilities, minimal sponsorship, and unpaid referees, critics argue that the declared spending does not reflect reality on the ground.


Transparency Deficit and FIFA Oversight


Under FIFA’s Forward programme, member associations are required to provide audited statements and photographic evidence of completed projects. However, public access to Nigeria’s full audit remains limited.


Civil society groups and former players are now calling on both FIFA and Nigeria’s Ministry of Sports to initiate an independent audit of the NFF’s spending,

 especially on the Ugborodo project and administrative expenses.


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