Giwa-led NFF targets N1.3bn from private sector annually

The Chris Giwa-led faction of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Friday that it would generate about N1.3 billion annually from the private sector in order to be less dependent on government.

Christopher Giwa

Giwa, who spoke while inaugurating factional State Football Association (FA) Chairmen in Abuja noted that time had come for Nigerian football to be managed efficiently.

“Football is a big industry and we have already set the structures to make it the biggest industry in the nation’s sports history and development.

“We have concluded plans to within a year start Nigeria Football Development project that will each employ 72 coaches at prime salaries and allowances.

“We have designed a situation where we shall train new breed of referees from age 10.

“Our programme will in less than 18 months from now become an industry that will generate no less than N1.3billion annually from the private sector and make us less dependent on government,’’ Giwa said.

According to him, the newly inaugurated FA chairmen would pilot the affairs of football in their various states with a view to transforming the game in the country considering Nigeria’s position in FIFA ranking.

“The people we have saddled with the task of the normalisation committees we have set up, are to see this current season off.

“These committees must be in place for us to delve into our pots of wisdom to drive Nigerian football into the highway of business, commercial and human resource development,’’ he added.

Giwa noted that no genuine FIFA ban would be brought on Nigeria’s football except its (FIFA) statutes were fraught with fraud or it does not have respect for the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

NAN reports that Giwa was arrested after the inauguration by a team of mobile policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer, Gwarimpa, and taken to the FCT police commissioner’s office.

He was later released after spending few hours with the Commissioner of Police Wilson Inalegwu.