Ahmed Gara-Gombe, Former Chairman of Gombe United Football Club,on Saturday says increasing the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) prize money cannot solve the structural problems affecting Nigerian football.
Gara-Gombe, who spoke while briefing newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, said the proposed ₦2 billion naira prize for league champions was attractive, sustainable football development required stronger foundations.
He said issues such as poor governance, inadequate infrastructure, weak commercial structures, poor officiating, player welfare and club administration must be addressed before the league can compete with top African leagues.
“You can offer ₦10 billion to the league champions, but if the fundamentals are not in place, the league will continue to struggle.
“ Also identified eight key areas needed for a successful league, including good governance, strong capital base, commercial viability.
“ Others are modern infrastructure, competent administrators, player welfare, fan engagement and professional refereeing,” he said.
On infrastructure, Gara-Gombe lamented that Nigeria has only a few stadiums capable of meeting international standards, that the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, remains the country’s most reliable venue for major continental fixtures.
He recalled that several Nigerian clubs had been forced to relocate continental matches because their home grounds failed to meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements.
Gara-Gombe also criticised poor officiating, describing it as a major threat to the credibility of the NPFL.
“Today, we produce poor champions because they are products of poor officiating, and calling for improved referee training, monitoring and accountability,” he said.
He further advocated the criminalisation of match-fixing, that football manipulation should be treated as a serious offence beyond normal sporting sanctions.
On the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Gara-Gombe defended his support for Ibrahim Gusau’s second-term bid, saying continuity would allow Nigerians to properly assess his administration.
He said that many challenges facing Nigerian football predated the current leadership and required long-term institutional reforms rather than frequent changes in administration.
According to him, Gusau should be judged based on his own decisions, policies and achievements after another term in office.
Gara-Gombe has also called for reforms aimed at reducing government dependence in football, urging state governments to gradually move away from directly funding clubs.
He suggested that government support should continue through grants while clubs develop independent revenue streams through sponsorships, broadcasting rights, merchandising and professional management.
“ Also said that the appointment of politicians and political loyalists as club administrators, football clubs should be managed by qualified professionals.
“Football administration is a profession and should be treated as such, urging the introduction of competency requirements for club managers under the licensing system.
“ He maintained that Nigerian football can only achieve sustainable growth through professional governance, improved infrastructure, credible officiating and commercially driven clubs,” he said .
Beyond infrastructure and officiating, Gara-Gombe said Nigerian football cannot achieve financial sustainability without determining the true commercial value of the league.
He said that multi-billion-naira prize money should begin with an assessment of clubs revenue-generating capacity, including sponsorship, merchandising, branding and supporter engagement.
“ You must first know what your league is worth before placing a price tag on it,” he said.
“ Also raised concerns over poor medical facilities at many league venues, noting that several clubs still depend on borrowed ambulances from hospitals, health centres or the Red Cross during matches, describing the situation as a sign of inadequate professionalism.
“ Comparing Nigeria with North African football, he cited Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis as an example of a team that has built strong commercial structures over time.
He said Nigerian clubs must develop similar institutions capable of surviving beyond government funding, stressing that “commercial value is not created overnight but built through proper planning, branding and professional management,” he said.
