FACILITIES UPGRADE: World-Renowned Experts arrive Nigeria, assess Moshood Abiola Stadium
Oru Leonard
Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko has stepped up his bid to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to refurbish and upscale sporting facilities across the country as a foundation for sustainable sports development and advancement of sports economy. The pilot project to this effect is the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja.
Sequel to the NSC Mallam Dikko’s facilities tour to Europe and engagements with global experts, in April 2025, one of the best stadium infrastructures development, construction and management Groups in Europe are in the country on a three-day visit from May 13th to 15th, 2025 to carry out on-the-spot assessment of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium pitch and other ancillary facilities preparatory to refurbishment and upgrade.
In the meetings in Europe, an understanding was reached for the team of experts to come for on-the-spot needs assessment, set up in Nigeria and potentially work towards fixing the nation’s pitches to the best international standards starting with the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, as well as setting up a sustainable maintenance program. The envisioned project would also include transfer of technology and training of domestic competencies which will guarantee sustainability, job creation and advance the sports economy vision.
The group, that are reputed for huge competence in constructing and managing facilities at world-class stadiums and elite clubs like Bayern’s Allianz Arena, Juventus Stadium, Real Madrid’sBernabeu, and the SanSiro assessed the Moshood Abiola National Stadium pitch and other relevant facilities on Tuesday in the company of the NSC Chairman, Director of Facilities, Mr. Mohammed Rabiu and Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Mustapha Ladan and other technical personel from the NSC facilities department.
They assessed the pitch, drainage systems, irrigation systems, dressing rooms and relevant facilities at the main bowl and would proposed a sustainable pathway to bringing the stadium back to life in line with best international standards. The projected date for the commencement of work on the pitch after all the analysis and due processes are completed is September 2025 with a duration of three months.
An elated Mallam Dikko is optimistic that this is the beginning of a new lease of life into the nation’s sporting facilities.
“The President has mandated us to upscale our sporting infrastructure and we have no other choice. The sports economy revolves around quality sporting infrastructure and that is what we have set out to do starting with the Moshood Abiola Stadium. But we have to be deliberate and intentional to ensure we deliver this the right way and avoid the errors of the past.
“When we are done with this arena which would now serve as proof of concept of what can be achieved, we will move to other facilities across the country. One thing that we cannot condone is the fact that only one stadium in the country is up to FIFA standard. No! This is absolutely unacceptable”, he said.
Reconstruction and upgrade of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium pitch and running tracks is the first on the line of proposed facilities upgrade across the country.
(NSC Media,14/5/25)
