NFF budgets N5.9 billion for football in 2016

The country’s football house has earmarked the huge amount to facilitate football activities towards a better outing next year

The Nigeria Football Federation has presented a 2016 budget of 5.9 billion naira to the National Assembly for the funding of its football activities next year.

In a document made available to congressmen at its 71st Annual General Assembly, the NFF is confident its recent financial challenges would soon be forgotten with the nod of the legislators. 

It recalled that the NFF failed to meet its obligations on payment of allowances and salaries of players and coaches of the various national teams; hence the Sports Minister ordered the payment of all outstanding wages.

A sum of N1.5 billion would be spent on Super Eagles’ participation in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) scheduled for Rwanda from January 16 to February 7, 2016. 

The budgeted amount would cover the team’s camping, overseas training tour including its participation in the competition.

The NFF also budgeted 672 million naira for the U20 Fifa Women World Cup billed for Papua New Guinea from November 13 to December 3 next year and earmarked 369 million naira for Dream Team’s Rio 2016 Olympics campaign.

The Federation set aside 920 million naira for Super Falcons' preparation, qualifiers and participation in the 2016 African Women Championship in Cameroon, while the Flying Eagles' preparation and participation in the U-20 Cup of Nations would require 620 million naira. 

It also budgeted 651 million naira for Super Sand Eagles campaign in the 2016 COPA Lagos Beach Soccer championship, 115 million naira for grassroots youth championships as well as 286 million naira for payment of coaches' salaries.