The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Musa Ibrahim Gusau, has announced that the athletes’ camp and training pitches under the FIFA Goal Project at Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, will be completed and ready for use within the next 16 months.

 

Gusau gave the assurance on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing works at the site. According to him, construction has progressed steadily since it commenced in March 2025, when the foundation was officially laid.

 

“We are now just about eight months in, because we started works in March 2025 when the project was launched. The foundation was laid in March, so we still have about 16 months left,” he explained. “The duration time for completion is 24 months, and at the rate the contractors are going, the job will be delivered earlier before the expiration date.”

 

Speaking on the motivation behind the project, the NFF President emphasized the crucial role of infrastructure in the development of football across the country.

 

“Well, you know, I say this a lot when I have the opportunity to talk about this project. The key is that we cannot develop football without infrastructure,” he said. “Before we came in, in 2022, we realized that, and then we looked at our surroundings and saw what was going on. As I’m talking to you, the only pitch we have that can host our national team to train is a pitch that was constructed about 16 years ago. Naturally, we cannot vouch for its current condition.”

 

Gusau noted that the pressure on the lone functional training pitch has often made national team preparations difficult.

 

“Sometimes we have about four national teams in camp, and it becomes extremely difficult for them to manage using one training pitch,” he said. “And as you know, we spend a lot of money—almost 40 to 50 percent of our income—on hotel services. That is why we came up with this vision and why we are working hard to ensure we achieve it.”

 

He stressed that having infrastructure under the federation’s control would significantly enhance player monitoring, development, and access to quality training facilities.

 

“If you want to develop football, you must ensure infrastructure is within your control so that you can put these young footballers within your own environment to monitor them and make sure they have access to training facilities at their doorstep,” he said.

 

Gusau concluded by expressing optimism that the project, once completed, would greatly boost football development programs across Nigeria.

 

“Quite well, by the time we achieve this, a lot will be achieved when it comes to the developmental program of football,” he stated.