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| Photo Credit — Players on Field |
As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, attention is turning once again to the state of its football. Sports administrator and coach Ebere Amaraizu has urged the nation to rebuild its player development system from the ground up — starting in schools and local communities — if it wants to produce enough quality players for its national teams.
Amaraizu acknowledged that Nigeria has made progress in sports over the years. However, he stressed that the country has still not reached the level its abundant football talent should have delivered. One of the biggest problems, he explained, is the collapse of a reliable system for identifying and developing young players.
In the past, Nigeria had a clearer pathway.
Talented youngsters moved from school sports programmes into youth teams and eventually into the senior national team. That structured route has weakened significantly. As a result, national team coaches have become more dependent on players who were developed outside the country.
“What happens to our local players?” Amaraizu asked. He believes players who come through the domestic system often bring a stronger sense of commitment and connection to the national team.
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To fix the problem, Amaraizu called for stronger, well-organised sports programmes in schools and communities. These programmes, he said, must be run by trained and certified personnel who can properly identify and nurture young talent. The goal is to create a sustainable pipeline in which players progress smoothly from one level to the next, closing the gaps that currently appear in the national teams.
He also emphasised that the administration of football itself needs professionals who truly understand the sport and how development works. Local coaches should receive more training, and all stakeholders — government bodies, clubs, schools, and private organisations — must work together on a clear, long-term development plan.
Amaraizu suggested that a dedicated stakeholder meeting on football development could bring the right people together to produce a practical working document for rebuilding Nigerian football.
Looking at the wider picture, he pointed to ongoing sports reforms as a positive sign. The new approach, he noted, has the potential to cover development from the grassroots all the way to state and federal levels. At the same time, Nigeria needs more functional stadiums capable of hosting major international competitions.
Stronger investment from government, businesses, and other organisations is essential, Amaraizu concluded. With the right support, sports can become a powerful tool for addressing social and economic challenges while restoring Nigeria’s football glory.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Technology.
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