The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has responded to recent social media outrage led by popular football critic @c_mobike (The Big Bird), clarifying that funds received from FIFA and CAF are strictly for specific projects and not free cash gifts to the Federation.
In a statement released Friday, the NFF said it felt compelled to address “misinformation” circulating online that it “collects millions of dollars annually” from FIFA as unrestricted income. The Federation explained that every dollar received from FIFA and CAF is tied to a particular purpose, audited annually, and subjected to strict compliance checks.
The NFF pointed to the ongoing Players’ Hostel and training pitches at the MKO Abiola Stadium as examples of FIFA Forward projects monitored and verified at every stage before funds are released. It emphasized that both FIFA and CAF send auditors each year to review how these funds are spent.
The statement also took a direct swipe at @c_mobike, accusing him of spreading “fictitious figures” without understanding how much it costs to organize even a single national team match.
This week, The Big Bird’s fiery rants on X (formerly Twitter) have gone viral accusing the NFF of greed, mismanagement, and destroying Nigerian football from the grassroots up. His posts have gathered hundreds of thousands of views and widespread support from frustrated fans.
While the NFF insists it operates under global financial best practices, the growing online outrage shows how deep public distrust runs.
