NFF Declares Abuja Stadium Unfit For Matches
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Fourteen years after its delivery as a state-of-the-art edifice, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has declared the Abuja National Stadium as utterly unfit to host National teams’ matches.
In its damning verdict, the nation’s soccer ruling body said the multi-purpose national sports stadium currently lacks standard and up-to-date facilities to attract international or competitive matches.
According to the NFF, the dilapidated state of facilities at the 60,491 seats’ capacity covered main bowl structure is responsible for hosting national teams’ games outside Nigeria’s Federal Capital City, Abuja
Secretary-General of the Federation, Mohammed Sanusi told journalists in Abuja that this ugly development has made it impossible for the country’s football teams to play their matches at the Abuja stadium in recent years.
Sanusi, who was reacting criticisms in some circles about the NFF’s penchant for hosting matches outside the nation’s capital, stated that with the pitiable state of affairs, it would be difficult for any team to enjoy convenient play at the stadium.
“The Abuja National Stadium is under renovation and so there is no facility for us to play our matches here”, the NFF Secretary- General said, adding; “We have our technical centre here, but there are no dressing rooms. So we are making efforts to see if the dressing rooms can be provided.”
He however, expressed happiness that some states have come to the rescue with their interest in hosting the different national teams.
According to him, this arrangement has seen all the female national teams, the Super Falcons, the Under-20 (Falconets) and the Under-17 side taking refuge at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
The NFF Scribe said for the Super Eagles, the matches rotate between the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo and the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State because of demonstrable interests by the two State governments.
Explaining that the NFF took full advantage of the expression of interest by the respective governments, Sanusi said; “Some of these states indicated interest in hosting the teams and that is why we went there.”
The Secretary-General also hinted that plans are underway for the football house to take the national teams’ matches across the country, to give Nigerians the opportunity of watching and cheering their national teams live.
The Abuja National stadium was constructed by Federal Government of Nigeria to host the 8th All Africa Games that took place in October 2003. At its completion and commissioning in April 2003, the stadium ranked among the 50 most expensive stadiums ever built in the world.
The main bowl’s design accommodates 60,491 spectator seats covered by a lightweight roof construction with its main characteristics being the two overlapping spectator tiers; the lower tier accommodating 32,000 seats and the upper tier 28,000 seats. Interestingly, the lower tier also incorporates 56 corporate suites with viewing terraces and one presidential lounge for 50 guests.
