‘FIFA manages its projects directly’ — Shehu Dikko speaks on $1.19m mini-stadium in Birnin-Kebbi

Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), says FIFA manages all its projects “directly” with minimal contribution from the host federation.  

Dikko spoke in a chat with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday.

The NSC chairman was reacting to recent allegations of fund mismanagement labelled against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Some reports alleged that NFF misappropriated FIFA funding intended for grassroots football and stadium development.

At the heart of the controversy is the FIFA-funded $1.19 million mini-stadium built in Birnin-Kebbi.

The images from the project site stirred reactions on social media, with many Nigerians claiming the final result falls short of the quoted cost.

Dikko dismissed the corruption allegations raised against the NFF regarding the mini-stadium, saying “no one collected the money”.

He added that FIFA is hands-on with all its projects and “the job of NFF is to provide the land”.

“I was the first person to deliver a FIFA Goal project in Nigeria, so I understand how this thing works,” the NSC chairman said.

“FIFA manages its projects directly. The job of NFF is to provide the land and say, “this is what we want”. At the end of the day, it is FIFA that will appoint and pay the contractor to deliver what they had agreed on.”

Dikko blamed the unstable exchange rate for the disparity between the cost and the final project.

“For this project, it is $1.19 million of today that we are talking about,” he said.

“This project was first approved in 2015. The procurement process started in 2016. What was the value of the dollar to Naira then?”