President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has refuted allegations of mismanagement linked to the FIFA Goal Project in Kebbi State, describing the controversy as a misunderstanding of facts.
The debate followed a social media post by FIFA showing an image of the half-completed Benin-Kebbi Stadium, which sparked public criticism and questions about the proper use of funds allocated for the project. The facility is one of several across Nigeria funded under FIFA’s Goal Project initiative to promote football infrastructure development.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS, Pinnick defended the integrity of the project, insisting that FIFA’s strict financial oversight made any form of mismanagement impossible.
“If FIFA gives you their money, they audit their money—they know A to Z, and they have standards,” he said. “If the contract was about $1.1 million in 2020, that was less than ₦400 million at the time. Everything went according to plan, and even in the contract, it was clearly stated that there would be no variation.”
Pinnick noted that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted construction activities but said the project’s cost remained unchanged. “There was no additional dime to the contract, no variation even in spite of COVID,” he stated, adding, “You can hate Amaju Pinnick, but love Nigerian football.”
He appealed to Nigerians to seek accurate information before forming opinions, stressing that his administration was guided by transparency and a commitment to the development of football in the country.
“I just want to appeal that we get our facts right before coming out to the public and making accusations,” he said.
FIFA’s Goal Project, designed to strengthen football structures worldwide, has received mixed reactions in Nigeria, with stakeholders divided over the pace and quality of implementation across various sites.
