Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretary-General and ex-chairman of the federation’s fact-finding committee, Ambassador Fanny Amun, has accused some former NFF board members, officials and coaches of manipulating player selections for financial gain, warning that such practices are contributing to the poor performances of the country’s national teams. Amun made the allegations while reflecting on […]
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretary-General and ex-chairman of the federation’s fact-finding committee, Ambassador Fanny Amun, has accused some former NFF board members, officials and coaches of manipulating player selections for financial gain, warning that such practices are contributing to the poor performances of the country’s national teams.
Amun made the allegations while reflecting on the findings of the committee established to investigate Nigeria’s disappointing results in international football.
He alleged that money was being negotiated for players to make national-team squads, particularly during screening exercises, with agents and other interests subsequently influencing team selection.
“There’s a training going on, screening going on… They’re negotiating money to make the list,” Amun alleged.
According to him, such practices inevitably undermine team performance because players selected for financial or other considerations may not necessarily be the best available for the assignment.
“If you negotiate money and the player goes to the team and goes to the tournament, then the agents are there: ‘Put this on, put this on, put that on.’ The team will fail,” he said.
Amun also criticised what he described as failures within the NFF’s technical and administrative structures, claiming that some officials were either unaware of their responsibilities or failed to perform them effectively.
He said the committee discovered “a lot of misfunctions” across different areas of the federation after interviewing coaches, officials and other stakeholders.
The former national-team coach also took exception to the criticism directed at the Super Falcons following their performance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), arguing that their overall record deserved greater perspective.
Amun pointed out that Nigeria have won the women’s continental championship 10 times and were subsequently rewarded by President Bola Tinubu after another title triumph, including $100,000 for each player and other incentives.
He therefore rejected the suggestion that the Falcons’ performance should simply be characterised as failure.
“I disagree with everybody who says Super Falcons failed woefully at WAFCON,” Amun said. “Ten times champions of Africa — no other country in Africa has done that.”
‘NFF Must Stop Interference’
Amun also questioned the preparation of national teams, particularly the failure to arrange adequate friendly matches before major competitions.
He said the coach who appeared before the committee complained about a lack of friendly games and insufficient time to prepare the team.
Amun argued that coaches must also be capable of improvising when conventional preparations are unavailable, suggesting matches against male youth teams as one possible alternative for maintaining competitive readiness.
He further criticised delays in teams’ departure for competitions, insisting that administrative arrangements, including travel and visa matters, should be handled efficiently.
Beyond the immediate performance crisis, Amun called for fundamental reforms in the administration of Nigerian football.
He accused some officials of remaining in football administration for decades, creating what he described as a cycle in which the same individuals continue to control positions and benefit from the system.
“People stand there for 27 years. Some stand 15 years. People will call and say, ‘Why must they be there forever?’” he said.
The former NFF official also backed President Tinubu’s call for reform in the sports sector, arguing that sports administrators must understand the distinction between policy formulation, regulation and oversight.
He said administrators should not attempt to perform functions that properly belong to the National Sports Commission, insisting that federations should concentrate on their statutory responsibilities.
Amun’s allegations, if substantiated, would point to deeper governance problems within Nigerian football, particularly around transparency in player selection, technical appointments and the administration of national teams.
He urged football stakeholders to confront the problems honestly rather than protect individuals, insisting that the sport can only progress when merit, accountability and competence replace entrenched interests.
