The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and FIFA have collaborated to build a “state-of-the-art mini-stadium” in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, according to a statement from FIFA’s FIFA Forward initiative.
Kebbi State is still one of Nigeria’s most isolated regions, and FIFA hopes to provide schoolchildren there the opportunity to play football and realize their goals in a world-class stadium through its FIFA Forward program.
The FIFA Forward initiative and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are collaborating on two projects totalling $1.189 million (N424 million) that will be implemented in Nigeria.
According to NFF’s representative in Kebbi State, Abubakar Ladan, who also is the state FA Chairman, the project aims to develop football in the northwestern state.
“Of the seven states in the northwestern region, Kebbi has the largest number of amateur teams,” Ladan said in a video interview.
“Efforts made to develop football in the state are being held back by the lack of facilities, and this artificial pitch is a boost and a push in the right direction,” he added.
According to FIFA, a simple facility is being constructed in Ugborodo, Delta State.
Both the project in Birnin Kebbi and the one still being constructed in Ugborodo are said to have required cumulative funding of around $2 million from the FIFA Forward Programme.
