By Kunle Solaja.
Former Director General of the National Sports Commission, Dr Patrick Ekeji, has again called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to take deliberate steps to restore the prestige of Nigeria’s national football cup competition.
Ekeji, a former international footballer and one of the most experienced administrators in Nigerian sport, reiterated his earlier suggestion that the competition should return to its historic name, the Challenge Cup, arguing that the brand once commanded nationwide passion and respect.
Chatting with Sports Village Square, Ekeji lamented that the competition—now known as the President’s Federation Cup—has lost much of the appeal that once made it one of the most anticipated events in the Nigerian football calendar.
Decades ago, the national cup was a major crowd-puller that captivated football fans across the country, especially during the final stages. Stadiums were packed, and the competition enjoyed massive media attention.
Today, however, the tournament struggles to attract similar interest. Even the national final rarely fills stadiums or commands the level of media attention expected in an era when coverage has expanded from traditional platforms to digital media.
The competition has also faced organisational challenges. In recent seasons, some clubs have withdrawn from fixtures during the national stage of the tournament, prompting the NFF to announce on Monday, the imposition of sanctions, including a ₦1 million fine on teams that fail to honour matches.
Reacting to the situation, Ekeji said the football authorities must undertake a comprehensive review of the competition and the broader domestic football structure.
“The NFF has to rejig the competition along with the NPFL,” he said.
According to him, the financial realities facing Nigerian clubs have also contributed to the tournament’s decline.
