NSC takes over abandoned FIFA mini stadium in Delta

The National Sports Commission has taken over the abandoned Ugborodo mini stadium project in Delta State and plans to complete the facility, with the stadium set to be named after First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.

NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko disclosed this while attending the fifth coronation anniversary of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, where he also featured in a novelty match involving former internationals and other prominent figures in Nigerian sports.

“We are not leaving just like that. The National Sports Commission, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, has adopted the Ugborodo mini stadium, which was being done by FIFA before,” Dikko said in an update shared on the NSC’s X page.

Dikko also revealed that the facility would be named after the First Lady once completed.

“We want to complete it because we are developing the same thing across the country. After completing it, it is going to be named after our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu,” he said.

The Ugborodo stadium is the twin project of the mini stadium in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, with both facilities funded under the FIFA Forward 2.0 Programme, which supports football development across FIFA’s member associations.

Each stadium is estimated to be worth about $1.2m. While the facility in Birnin Kebbi has been in use for about two years, the Ugborodo stadium has remained abandoned for a similar period.

The Nigeria Football Federation came under criticism over the project last year, with its General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, revealing to newsmen that the body had terminated the contract of the project’s handler, Ebi Egbe, for failing to return to the site within the stipulated period after receiving about $500,000 as an advance payment.

Although the contractor sued the NFF over the termination of his contract, he also claimed that significant progress had been made on the site and that he could complete the project with the remaining $700,000 balance.

After terminating the contract, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau said the project had not been re-awarded to another contractor and that the NSC was set to complete the facility.