The Chairman of the Kebbi State Football Association, Abubakar Ladan, has clarified that the FIFA-standard stadium located in Birnin Kebbi is directly managed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and not the Kebbi State Government, as widely speculated online.
Ladan made the clarification on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi following the buzz generated by FIFA’s recent feature of the facility on its official social media pages, which reignited public debate over the stadium’s ownership and management.
According to him, while the Kebbi State Government provided four hectares of land as part of the requirements for the project’s establishment, the NFF remains solely responsible for the day-to-day running of the facility.
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“It should be clearly stated that the Kebbi State Government provided the land for the stadium, but the management is under the control of the Nigeria Football Federation,” Ladan said.
He explained that the stadium, completed and inaugurated by FIFA officials in 2023, has since hosted several national and state-level competitions, including the 2024 Governor’s Cup and National League One Division One and Two matches.
The Birnin Kebbi stadium currently serves as the home ground for Kebbi United FC, while Zamfara United FC also used it as its base during the last football season.
Ladan added that the NFF employs a manager and operational staff to oversee the stadium’s activities, while the state government occasionally supports maintenance efforts such as fencing and facility upgrades to ensure smooth operations.
FIFA’s recent post, which featured an image of the Birnin Kebbi Stadium as part of its FIFA Forward Programme, had sparked reactions from Nigerians online, with many questioning the ownership and condition of the facility.
Built under the global football body’s development initiative, the project aims to promote grassroots football infrastructure and talent discovery across Africa.
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