Former Nigeria international and President of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Tijani Babangida, has thrown the full weight of the players’ union behind the ongoing reform process in Nigerian football, insisting that the restructuring of the game will not be complete without giving former and current players a stronger voice in football administration.
Babangida stressed that players, who remain central to the development and success of football, deserve meaningful representation in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Congress, particularly in decisions that shape the future of the sport.
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According to the PFAN president, the ongoing reform presents an opportunity to correct longstanding gaps in the administration of Nigerian football and create a structure that reflects the interests of all major stakeholders.
“The players’ union fully supports the ongoing reform of Nigerian football administration.”
Babangida believes one of the most important issues that must be addressed is the absence of adequate representation for the players’ union within the NFF Congress.
He argued that footballers should not merely be regarded as participants on the pitch while decisions affecting their careers, welfare and the future of the game are taken without their direct input.
“The reform will not be complete without PFAN being given representation in the NFF Congress.”
For the former Super Eagles star, allowing PFAN a seat at the Congress table would give players a legitimate platform to contribute to discussions surrounding football governance and ensure their interests are properly considered.
The call comes as Nigerian football enters a transition period following the resignation of the immediate past NFF leadership and the establishment of a reform process aimed at addressing structural and administrative concerns within the game.
Babangida’s position also adds to growing calls for a broader NFF Congress, with other stakeholders arguing that the country’s football governing structure should accommodate groups that have historically had limited representation.
The former international believes the reform should therefore go beyond changing individuals and focus on establishing structures that allow every important component of Nigerian football to contribute.
For PFAN, representation is particularly important because former professionals possess firsthand knowledge of the challenges confronting players and understand the realities of Nigerian football from inside the dressing room.
Babangida’s intervention is consequently another indication that the players’ union intends to play an active role in shaping the next chapter of Nigerian football administration.
As Nigeria searches for a new direction, Babangida insists the players cannot remain spectators in the boardroom — if they are the heart of the game on the pitch, PFAN believes they must also have a voice in how the game is governed.
