CAF Official Advocates Sports Infrastructure Renewal In Abuja Development Agenda

CAF Official Advocates Sports Infrastructure Renewal In Abuja Development Agenda 

By Niyi Busari 

A senior official of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Christian Emeruwa, has appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to extend the ongoing transformation of Abuja's infrastructure to the city's major sporting facilities, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Dr. Emeruwa, CAF's Security Chief and leader of the CAF inspection delegation that recently visited Nigeria ahead of the CAF Congress and Awards, made the appeal after returning to Abuja for an official assignment.

In a public statement, the sports administrator praised the extensive road construction, new interchanges and urban renewal projects undertaken by the FCT Administration, describing the changes as so remarkable that he almost struggled to recognise parts of the city he once knew intimately.

According to him, travelling across Abuja has become significantly easier due to newly constructed road networks and improved connectivity, developments he described as evidence of the rapid transformation taking place under the current administration.

"I know Abuja very well," Emeruwa noted, recalling that he lived in the city from 2007 until 2019 before joining CAF. "But as I write this, I am not sure I can still claim to know Abuja because of the remarkable changes."

While commending the visible improvements across the capital, including upgraded roads, flyovers and beautification projects around the City Gate, Emeruwa expressed disappointment over the condition of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium and the Old Parade Ground.

He said the contrast between Abuja's modernising infrastructure and the deteriorating state of its sporting facilities was striking.

According to him, the National Stadium, once regarded as one of Nigeria's premier sporting complexes and a venue for major continental and international competitions, now appears to be lagging behind the city's broader development.

Emeruwa said he found it difficult to reconcile the condition of the stadium with the pace of infrastructure renewal taking place across the Federal Capital Territory.

Drawing from Wike's record as former Governor of Rivers State, where his administration invested in sports facilities, including the establishment of the Real Madrid Football Academy in Port Harcourt, Emeruwa expressed confidence that sports infrastructure could also become a priority in Abuja.

He suggested that the sporting community may not have sufficiently highlighted the need for renewed investment in sports facilities and therefore made a public appeal to the minister.

He urged the FCT Administration to include the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium and the Old Parade Ground in its urban renewal programme.

According to him, sports infrastructure serves purposes beyond recreation, providing opportunities for youth development, community engagement, economic activity, public health and national pride.

He argued that a revitalised National Stadium would complement Abuja's ongoing physical transformation and further strengthen the city's reputation as Nigeria's capital and a destination for major sporting events.

Emeruwa also envisioned the Old Parade Ground being redeveloped into a modern community sports centre capable of supporting grassroots sports development and recreational activities for residents.

The CAF official concluded by expressing optimism that the same political will driving Abuja's road and infrastructure projects could be extended to sports development, saying such investments would benefit young people, athletes and the broader Nigerian sporting community.

Background

The Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, commissioned in 2003 ahead of the 8th All Africa Games, remains Nigeria's flagship sports complex. Over the years, however, sections of the facility have suffered from inadequate maintenance despite hosting major football matches, athletics competitions and national sporting events.

In recent years, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has embarked on an extensive urban renewal programme involving the construction and rehabilitation of major roads, bridges, interchanges and public spaces across Abuja. The projects have significantly improved traffic flow and connectivity in many parts of the city, earning commendation from residents and visitors alike.

With Nigeria continuing to bid for and host continental sporting events, stakeholders have increasingly advocated renewed investment in world-class sporting infrastructure to complement the country's broader infrastructure development and enhance its capacity to stage international competitions.