The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) has thrown his weight behind the Nigeria Football Federation’s current leadership, insisting that the body’s achievements must not be buried under the noise of criticism and that he will not support any move to uproot them outside of proper democratic process, Footynaija.com reports.
Olopade made the remarks at the NFF’s extraordinary general assembly in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he praised the federation’s current leadership and called on analysts and fans to ease up on the pressure they have been applying to the body.
Olopade, appointed to his role by President Bola Tinubu in November 2024, came into the job having served two terms as Ogun State Commissioner for Youth and Sports and brings a track record in sports administration that stretches back over a decade. His defence of the NFF carries institutional weight given the Commission’s oversight role over Nigerian sports.
The criticism directed at the NFF has been loud and consistent in recent months. Nigeria missed the 2026 World Cup after a playoff defeat to DR Congo, in a result that sparked calls for wholesale changes at the federation.
If Nigeria and NFF invested in football like Morocco instead of eating all the money given to us by FIFA for development, Nigeria will be competing at the World Cup like Morocco and even be better than Morocco. NFF REMAINS A DISGRACE! pic.twitter.com/yY4h7UYaqB
Olopade himself acknowledged at the time that the failure was painful, noting that when he and Commission chairman Shehu Dikko took office, they inherited a team sitting second from bottom with just three points from four qualifying matches.
The subsequent improvement, culminating in the playoff itself, was progress in his view, even if it ultimately fell short.
We must look at the bigger picture
Speaking in a report by Sports247, Olopade laid out his position plainly.
“I will not push for a change of leadership undemocratically,” he said, drawing a firm line between legitimate criticism and the kind of pressure that bypasses proper governance structures.
He was equally clear that the NFF’s record deserves more credit than it receives.
“They have done a lot of good work that should not be overlooked,” he said, pointing specifically to the continued performances of the Super Falcons and the national teams as evidence that the federation is delivering results where it matters.
“The Super Falcons have continued to achieve success. The national teams have still delivered notable results. We must look at the bigger picture,” he added.
