Nigeria continues to face the consequences of long-standing failures in football development, according to former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh. He attributed the country's ongoing struggles to a lack of investment in infrastructure and poor structural planning, pointing to the year 2002 as a pivotal moment whose effects are still felt today. "What happened in 2002 was a big thing, it affects them till today," Oliseh said, emphasizing that Nigeria deserves better facilities given football's status as the nation's most popular sport. He described the football business in Nigeria as vibrant and worth billions, yet undermined by misplaced priorities. Oliseh stressed that youth competitions like the U17 level should not overshadow the need to rebuild the domestic league. "Our priority in Nigeria is to fix the local league, U17 isn't priority for me," he stated, advocating instead for measures like increased prize money to make the league more competitive and attractive. The former midfielder, who earned 63 caps for Nigeria, was part of the team that won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics and claimed the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title. He later served as head coach of the Nigerian national team, maintaining a vocal stance on the need for systemic reform. Oliseh has consistently called for sustainable development and greater institutional support for football at the foundational level.
Sunday Oliseh highlights that the fallout from decisions made in 2002 still shapes Nigerian football's present, exposing a decades-long failure to act. This means that despite individual successes, structural neglect continues to undermine long-term progress. Oliseh's own career—from 63 caps to Olympic gold—stands in contrast to the stagnation he now criticizes. His call to prioritize the domestic league over youth tournaments reflects a shift in focus from short-term glory to lasting reform.
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