By Silvernews
Chairmen of clubs in the Nationwide League One (NLO) have formally appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to include direct club representation in its Congress as part of the ongoing statutes amendment process.
In a letter dated March 24, 2026, and addressed to the Chairman of the Statutes Amendment Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, the group, under the banner of NLO Progressive Club Chairmen, argued that the current structure of the Congress does not adequately reflect the interests of grassroots football stakeholders.
The letter, signed by Nwaeze Prince Chidiebere and routed through the NFF General Secretary, called for the allocation of six permanent seats in the Congress to representatives of NLO clubs—one from each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to the group, it is inconsistent that bodies such as the National Association for Physical and Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance are represented in the Congress, while over 600 clubs operating in the NLO, described as the backbone of grassroots football in Nigeria, lack direct representation.
They maintained that NLO clubs are the largest employers of young football talents and among the biggest investors in local football development, yet their voices are limited to representation through a single league body.
To address this imbalance, the chairmen proposed a statutory amendment that would ensure inclusivity and broader participation in decision-making.
They further recommended that nominees for the proposed seats must have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in football administration to guarantee quality contributions.
The group stressed that the reform would align the NFF with global governance standards as advocated by international football bodies and enhance stakeholder confidence in the administration of the game.
They expressed optimism that the committee would give favourable consideration to their request, noting that meaningful inclusion of grassroots investors is vital for the sustainable growth of Nigerian football.
