THE Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has showcased the Birnin Kebbi Stadium project in Kebbi State, noting that the facility was co-funded with the Nigeria Football Federation, just days after fresh allegations of fund mismanagement were leveled against the NFF.
The global football body revealed this on its official social media platforms on Saturday using an image of the project, as the new profile banner on its official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.
The photo of the partially completed Birnin Kebbi Stadium quickly went viral, drawing outrage and speculation from fans, who questioned how such a project could represent progress under the FIFA Forward Programme, an initiative meant to promote grassroots football development.
In December 2023, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris reportedly inaugurated the FIFA/NFF-supported stadium project, stating that it was intended to “boost the morale of youths in the state.”
He stated that the project cost $1.183 million, adding that the state government provided four hectares of land and paid N19 million in compensation to the affected landowners.
Recall that in May 2023, FIFA had highlighted the Kebbi project as part of its dedication to developing grassroots football, noting on its InsideFIFA website: “It is no surprise, then, that Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi, was chosen back in 2020 as the site for the construction of an artificial football pitch now available for young boys and girls to use.
“Meanwhile, a second pitch is under construction in Ugborodo… these two ambitious projects have received around USD 2 million in funding from FIFA through its Forward Programme,” its statement added.
The latest viral photo by FIFA is coming just days after football critic Chinedu Mobike, on October 23, 2025, alleged via his Instagram handle @c_mobike that the federation had misused millions of dollars allocated for infrastructure projects, including a similar facility in Delta State.
In his viral video, Mobike alleged that FIFA provided the NFF with “$1.2 million for two stadiums” one in Kebbi and another in Ugborodo, Delta State projects which, according to him, “have yet to see the light of day.”
Drawing comparisons with other nations, Mobike alleged that while “other countries used their FIFA funds to genuinely develop football, Nigeria has nothing to show for it.”
“The NFF should sit up…There are no active projects promoting football or sports in Nigeria,” Mobike said.
According to PUNCH Online, the following day, Friday, October 24, 2025, the NFF released an official statement describing it as a “fresh clarification to misinformation” spread by unnamed social media users who alleged that the federation “receives millions of dollars from FIFA each year and misappropriates the funds.”
It noted that the NFF said in the statement that it firmly denied any wrongdoing, explaining that every dollar received from FIFA or CAF is tied to a specific purpose and audited annually.
The Federation cited ongoing FIFA Forward projects such as the NFF/FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, stressing that every phase is verified before funds are released directly to FIFA-approved consultants.
Meanwhile Mobike’s video has reignited demands for reform, fueling the hashtag #SaveNigerianFootball, which has been trending on X as users vent their frustration and call for greater transparency and accountability in Nigerian football governance.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.