Former Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick has broken his silence over the storm surrounding the $1.2 million Kebbi mini-stadium.
The controversy erupted after FIFA showcased the facility as one of its Forward Programme achievements, sparking outrage online over its modest look.
Many Nigerians questioned how a small stadium could cost nearly $1.2 million.
FIFA’s post quickly went viral, fueling accusations of mismanagement within the NFF.
In an interview on Arise Television, Pinnick dismissed the criticism as unfair and uninformed.
He insisted the project met global standards and followed Nigeria’s procurement laws.
Pinnick explained that FIFA directly handled the funds, with the NFF only serving as a conduit.
“The contractor won through an open tender monitored under the Public Procurement Act,” he said.
He added that milestone payments were made only after FIFA’s strict reviews.
“It hurts me when people cast baseless aspersions,” Pinnick said.
“Such attacks damage Nigeria’s reputation and discourage genuine efforts to develop sports.”
According to him, the Kebbi facility now hosts Kebbi United and Zamfara United and has staged several tournaments.
He described it as modest but fully compliant with FIFA standards.
“Why shouldn’t I be proud?” he asked. “The pitch alone involves deep engineering to prevent flooding.”
Pinnick argued that the cost reflected the infrastructure and materials used.
Social media users, however, remained unconvinced.
Many compared the Kebbi project to similar FIFA-funded facilities abroad, calling for greater accountability from Nigerian football officials.
One X user wrote, “How do you spend $1.2 million to build this? Where are the rest of the projects?”
The NFF later issued a statement denying any misuse of funds.
It said all FIFA and CAF grants are project-specific and audited at every stage.
“The monies for development purposes are tied to specific projects and strictly monitored,” the NFF clarified.
Despite the uproar, Pinnick maintained his stance that every process was transparent.
He urged Nigerians to focus on the progress being made rather than spreading misinformation.
