Bidding To Host 2027 AFCON Not Nigeria's Priority - House Committee On Sports

Bidding To Host 2027 AFCON Not Nigeria's Priority - House Committee On Sports

By Niyi Busari

The Federal House Committee on Sports says the current economic hardship facing Nigerians owing to subsidy removal, was enough reason why Nigeria should pull out from hosting the 2027 African Cup of Nations, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Speaking, Chairman House Committee on Sports, Honourable Ekene Adams said, the House is concerned with how government will come to aid of Nigerians following hike in price of all commodities due to increase in the price of petrol.

"The Federal Government and State Governments should at this time be concerned with how to alleviate the suffering of the citizens.

"We all know that the Federal Government and State Governments have distributed palliatives to Nigerians but it seemed not enough and need to come up with different programmes to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

"At this time, the priority of government should be about the welfarism of the citizens.

"Hosting the African Nations Cup is good but it is better that such billion of naira that will be spent on hosting be diverted into the economy." He stated.

Nigeria will be seeking to host the continent biggest football fiesta for a third time after it hosted and won its first in 1980 in Lagos and the co-host in the year 2000 with Ghana.

Nigeria and the Republic of Benin presented a joint bid to host the tournament in 2027, as the Minister Senator John Owan Enoh and the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) are attending a Confederation of African football, (CAF) meeting on Wednesday, where Nigeria will make its presentation to the Executive Committee in Cairo, Egypt. 

All countries who submitted bids to host the AFCON tournament in 2025 and 2027 respectively are also attending the meeting.