Shaibu Launches Two-Year Plan to Address Coach Shortage

On Monday, Philip Shaibu, the Director General of the National Institute for Sports, unveiled a two-year plan aimed at addressing the significant shortage of coaches in Nigerian sports during his visit to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) office in Abuja. Shaibu disclosed that Nigeria is facing an estimated shortfall of two million coaches and called for collaboration with the NFF to tackle this challenge.

He emphasized the need for meticulous studies to provide a clear number of coaches required and outlined a plan that could lead to a complete turnaround in the coaching sector. The recent admission of 232 students into the institute highlighted the dominance of football in the country, with a discovery that only 117 are football coaches, indicating a 50 percent ratio.

Ibrahim Gusau, the NFF President, expressed readiness to support the institute in achieving its objectives. The NFF has prioritized developing coaches through various programs, including the CAF C License program, and aims to secure CAF approval for hosting CAF License courses soon.