Enough is Enough: Nigeria's Football Chief turns to FIFA to end years of failures

Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Ibrahim Gusau has confirmed a joint talent development programme with FIFA, vowing to end the decline in the nation's (youth) football.

This drastic structural reform, which will replace the chaotic open-camp screening system, is a direct response to the recent failures of the Flying Eagles at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the Golden Eaglets missing out on the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Nigerian football community has been rocked by poor performances from its teams across board, notably the Golden Eaglets (five-time U-17 World Champions), who failed to qualify for both the 2023 and the upcoming 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cups.

The recent disappointing run of the Flying Eagles at the U-20 World Cup, Super Eagles’ shaky 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and Flamingoes at the ongoing FIFA U17 WWC further spotlight the crisis.

In a video shared by seasoned journalist Colin Udoh, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau admitted his deep concern, stating: “I must be worried because the future of our football starts from there. The good news is that NFF and FIFA have come up with a program which is a talent development hunt for the Under-15 young boys and girls.”

This initiative signals a fundamental shift in the NFF's approach. Gusau confirmed that the era of open-camp screenings, which often saw "1000 boys" turn up for U-17 selections, will end.

The new system will focus on a structured zonal selection process for the Under-15 national team, allowing the federation to monitor and develop players consistently from a younger age.

“It's not going to be business as usual. When we are talking about under 17, we start talking about camping where you can see 1000 boys. No, that team must be done from the level of 14. So that we are monitoring these boys up to that level. So very soon all that will change.”

Nigeria has historically been one of the world's most successful youth football nations, a fact Gusau highlighted to emphasise the urgency of the reform.

"Nigeria has been one of the best youth footballing nations in the world, not only in the continent," he noted.The cornerstone of this new strategy is providing an "enabling environment" for player development.

The NFF is actively building a players' hostel in Abuja. According to the President, this facility is key to the new plan, ensuring that during school holidays, the young players can be brought together for intensive, proper training and long-term tactical development.

This move aligns with a broader push for infrastructural investment, with the NFF-FIFA Players' hostel and new training pitches project recently inspected in Abuja.

The immediate consequence of this partnership is the institutionalisation of player development, replacing the reliance on raw, unpolished talent.

For players, it promises a more consistent pathway to the national teams and a deeper understanding of the team’s philosophy, preventing the current 'stop-start' approach to preparation.

Gusau's new plan is an attempt to address heavy criticisms on the decline of football in Nigeria by collaborating with a globally-recognised system.

If successful, it could resurrect Nigeria's dominance in youth football and provide a more robust feeder system for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons.

NFF President Gusau's commitment to a FIFA-backed U-15 programme is an acknowledgment that years of relying on last-minute screenings must end.

The promise is to "start afresh" and move towards a sustainable, long-term development model. For Nigerian fans, the hope is that this strategic overhaul marks the beginning of redemption.

What do you think of the NFF's new FIFA-backed U-15 plan? Share your thoughts on whether this will fix Nigeria's youth football crisis in the comments below!