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Solomon Dalung exposes deep-rooted corruption behind Nigeria’s football decline
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has opened up on the entrenched corruption, impunity and administrative failures he says continue to hinder the growth of Nigerian football.
In a detailed reflection on his tenure, Dalung described how systemic decay and internal sabotage repeatedly frustrated attempts at reform.
Dalung, who assumed office in November 2015, recalled that many stakeholders initially viewed him as a novice because of his modest appearance—khaki outfit and red beret. However, he revealed that his involvement in sports administration dated back more than a decade before his appointment.
He recounted his experience as part of the Federal Government delegation to the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali, where he witnessed the crisis involving team captain Sunday Oliseh and the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) over arbitrary bonus cuts and the high-handedness of football officials.
Dalung said his own estacode allowances were never paid, leaving the delegation stranded and dependent on support from the Nigerian embassy and patriotic citizens for survival.
Reflecting on these events, he said he adopted the philosophy of letting people underestimate him so they could reveal themselves. This, he explained, was often mistaken for ignorance throughout his tenure.
One of the most memorable moments during his time as Minister, he said, came from an elderly cleaner in the Sports Ministry who told him:
“In sports, we work harder for failure than for success.”
According to the former Minister, the cleaner explained that tournament budgets in football are prepared all the way to the final. When teams crash out early, administrators benefit from unspent funds that go unaccounted for.
Dalung said this insight proved accurate, noting that whenever he demanded accountability, it was conveniently reframed by some stakeholders as “ministerial interference.”
He added that false complaints were often sent to FIFA to resist scrutiny, while some segments of the media amplified distorted narratives rather than investigate the underlying issues.
Worried about the stagnation of Nigerian football, Dalung set up a high-level Technical Committee chaired by Col. Abdulmumuni. The committee included former NFA chairmen, past secretaries-general, coaches, ex-international players, private sector experts and government officials.
After extensive research, the committee identified widespread corruption, unpaid allowances, nepotism, impunity and lack of transparency as the major causes of decline.
One of its boldest recommendations was that Nigeria should voluntarily withdraw from international football for six months and request that FIFA establish a Normalization Committee to overhaul governance before re-entering competition. Dalung said the Ministry approved this proposal and communicated it to both the President and FIFA.
However, he explained that the reform process collapsed when President Muhammadu Buhari travelled abroad for medical treatment. During his absence, the Presidency wrote directly to FIFA disowning the Ministry’s position—a decision Dalung described as a major setback and a victory for entrenched corruption.
The former Minister expressed disappointment that Nigeria has failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since 2018. He stressed that the failures are not accidental but a consequence of unresolved structural problems.
“Until we confront the rot with courage and implement the right reforms, the ghosts of indecision, corruption and impunity will continue to define our football destiny,” Dalung said.
