Marcello Anyanwu frowns at NFF for remaining adamant in Amending the status.

Before 2026 Elections: Calls Grow for NFF Statutes Amendment
‎
‎
‎The call by UAE-based Nigerian coach and football administrator, Marcello Anyanwu, for the amendment of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Statutes ahead of this year’s election, is both timely and necessary.
‎
‎His agitation touches the heart of Nigeria’s football governance crisis — a system that has, for too long, concentrated power in the hands of a select few at the expense of inclusivity, fairness, and progress.
‎
‎The Background: A Call Rooted in Experience
‎
The former Arsenal soccer school Coach ( Dubai training center), who contested in the last NFF elections, is no stranger to the internal workings of Nigerian football administration. His renewed call for statutory reforms stems from a deep understanding of how the current NFF framework limits broader participation and perpetuates a cycle of dominance by certain stakeholders — particularly, State Football Association (FA) chairmen.
‎
‎The NFF Statutes and Their Power Structure
‎
‎The NFF Statutes, modeled after FIFA’s governance framework, define how football is organized, managed, and governed in Nigeria. However, the composition of the NFF Congress — the highest decision-making body — remains the most contentious issue.
‎
‎Under the current statutes, the NFF Congress is made up of 44 members:
‎
‎37 State FA Chairmen (including the FCT),
‎
‎Representatives of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL),
‎
‎Nigeria National League (NNL),
‎
‎Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL),
‎
‎Nationwide League One (NLO),
‎
‎Coaches Association, Referees Association, and Players’ Union.
‎
‎
‎While the document appears democratic on paper, in practice, the State FA Chairmen hold overwhelming influence. With 37 votes out of 44, they effectively determine who becomes NFF President and dominate the Executive Committee. This imbalance gives them near-total control over the federation’s direction, often marginalizing other critical stakeholders like players, coaches, and clubs.
‎
‎How the Statutes Favour State FA Chairmen
‎
‎1. Voting Power Monopoly:
‎In NFF presidential elections, the bloc of 37 FA chairmen essentially guarantees that whoever secures their backing will win. This makes it nearly impossible for reform-minded or independent candidates without state FA support to emerge victorious.
‎
‎
‎2. Control of Congress and Policy Decisions:
‎Because they dominate the Congress, the FA chairmen decide on key issues such as financial decisions, disciplinary actions, and appointments. This centralization of power often leads to entrenched patronage networks, where loyalty is rewarded over merit.
‎
‎
‎3. Barrier to Broader Representation:
‎Grassroots coaches, former players, women’s football advocates, and diaspora administrators — who should have a voice in football governance — are sidelined. The structure discourages fresh ideas and innovation, leading to stagnation in Nigeria’s football administration.
‎
‎
‎4. Lack of Checks and Balances:
‎With the FA chairmen forming the majority, there are limited mechanisms to hold them accountable. The result is a cycle where the same power brokers retain control of the “Glass House” — the NFF headquarters — election after election.
‎
‎
‎
‎Why Reform Is Urgent
‎
‎the former Assistant coach of defunct MFC football club Lagos, agitation is not about personal ambition; it is about fairness and the future of Nigerian football. True reform should mean:
‎
‎Broadening representation within the NFF Congress to include more voices — especially clubs, players, coaches, and women’s football administrators.
‎
‎Introducing term limits for State FA chairmen and NFF executives to prevent the recycling of leadership.
‎
‎Decentralizing decision-making, allowing regional and club-level administrators to influence national policy.
‎
‎Enhancing transparency and accountability in elections and financial management.
‎
‎
‎The Way Forward
‎
‎The upcoming NFF elections in 2026 present a unique opportunity to reshape the federation’s democratic structure. To do this, the NFF must review its statutes in line with global best practices, as seen in other countries where power is shared among diverse football stakeholders. FIFA encourages inclusivity and balanced representation — a principle Nigeria must now embrace if it hopes to reclaim its football glory.
‎
‎Conclusion
‎
‎Marcello Anyanwu’s voice should not be dismissed as another cry from the sidelines. His call for the amendment of the NFF statutes resonates with a growing demand for transparency, fairness, and reform in Nigerian football governance.
‎
‎If the NFF is truly committed to development, it must open up its leadership space, correct the power imbalance that favours State FA chairmen, and give equal voice to all who contribute to the beautiful game.
‎
‎The future of Nigerian football depends not just on what happens on the pitch, but on what is written — and rewritten — in its statutes..

Written by Anyanwu Marcello grassroots football advocates and head scout of Gulf united football club Dubai UAE first division

frowned at NFF for remaining adamant in Amending the status.

Before 2026 Elections: Calls Grow for NFF Statutes Amendment

‎

‎The call by UAE-based Nigerian coach and football administrator, Marcello Anyanwu, for the amendment of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Statutes ahead of this year’s election, is both timely and necessary.

‎

‎His agitation touches the heart of Nigeria’s football governance crisis — a system that has, for too long, concentrated power in the hands of a select few at the expense of inclusivity, fairness, and progress.

‎

‎The Background: A Call Rooted in Experience

‎

The former Arsenal soccer school Coach ( Dubai training center), who contested in the last NFF elections, is no stranger to the internal workings of Nigerian football administration. His renewed call for statutory reforms stems from a deep understanding of how the current NFF framework limits broader participation and perpetuates a cycle of dominance by certain stakeholders — particularly, State Football Association (FA) chairmen.

‎

‎The NFF Statutes and Their Power Structure

‎

‎The NFF Statutes, modeled after FIFA’s governance framework, define how football is organized, managed, and governed in Nigeria. However, the composition of the NFF Congress — the highest decision-making body — remains the most contentious issue.

‎

‎Under the current statutes, the NFF Congress is made up of 44 members:

‎

‎37 State FA Chairmen (including the FCT),

‎

‎Representatives of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL),

‎

‎Nigeria National League (NNL),

‎

‎Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL),

‎

‎Nationwide League One (NLO),

‎

‎Coaches Association, Referees Association, and Players’ Union.

‎

‎While the document appears democratic on paper, in practice, the State FA Chairmen hold overwhelming influence. With 37 votes out of 44, they effectively determine who becomes NFF President and dominate the Executive Committee. This imbalance gives them near-total control over the federation’s direction, often marginalizing other critical stakeholders like players, coaches, and clubs.

‎

‎How the Statutes Favour State FA Chairmen

‎

‎1. Voting Power Monopoly:

‎In NFF presidential elections, the bloc of 37 FA chairmen essentially guarantees that whoever secures their backing will win. This makes it nearly impossible for reform-minded or independent candidates without state FA support to emerge victorious.

‎

‎2. Control of Congress and Policy Decisions:

‎Because they dominate the Congress, the FA chairmen decide on key issues such as financial decisions, disciplinary actions, and appointments. This centralization of power often leads to entrenched patronage networks, where loyalty is rewarded over merit.

‎

‎3. Barrier to Broader Representation:

‎Grassroots coaches, former players, women’s football advocates, and diaspora administrators — who should have a voice in football governance — are sidelined. The structure discourages fresh ideas and innovation, leading to stagnation in Nigeria’s football administration.

‎

‎4. Lack of Checks and Balances:

‎With the FA chairmen forming the majority, there are limited mechanisms to hold them accountable. The result is a cycle where the same power brokers retain control of the “Glass House” — the NFF headquarters — election after election.

‎

‎Why Reform Is Urgent

‎

‎the former Assistant coach of defunct MFC football club Lagos, agitation is not about personal ambition; it is about fairness and the future of Nigerian football. True reform should mean:

‎

‎Broadening representation within the NFF Congress to include more voices — especially clubs, players, coaches, and women’s football administrators.

‎

‎Introducing term limits for State FA chairmen and NFF executives to prevent the recycling of leadership.

‎

‎Decentralizing decision-making, allowing regional and club-level administrators to influence national policy.

‎

‎Enhancing transparency and accountability in elections and financial management.

‎

‎The Way Forward

‎

‎The upcoming NFF elections in 2026 present a unique opportunity to reshape the federation’s democratic structure. To do this, the NFF must review its statutes in line with global best practices, as seen in other countries where power is shared among diverse football stakeholders. FIFA encourages inclusivity and balanced representation — a principle Nigeria must now embrace if it hopes to reclaim its football glory.

‎

‎Conclusion

‎

‎Marcello Anyanwu’s voice should not be dismissed as another cry from the sidelines. His call for the amendment of the NFF statutes resonates with a growing demand for transparency, fairness, and reform in Nigerian football governance.

‎

‎If the NFF is truly committed to development, it must open up its leadership space, correct the power imbalance that favours State FA chairmen, and give equal voice to all who contribute to the beautiful game.

‎

‎The future of Nigerian football depends not just on what happens on the pitch, but on what is written — and rewritten — in its statutes..

Written by Anyanwu Marcello grassroots football advocates and head scout of Gulf united football club Dubai UAE first division