Following Nigeria and Benin Republic’s proposed joint bid for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Confederation of African Football-appointed team has begun the inspection of several stadiums and facilities tendered in the bid.
Nigeria’s bid as hosts of the 35th edition of the continental tournament has seen six national stadiums come under intense evaluation from CAF. The aforementioned stadiums include the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja; Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo; Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos; Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City; and Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
According to reports, the four-man team appointed by the African football governing body, which consists of Jean-Louis Romain, Emma Bollet, Didier Levy, and Timour Tawfik, along with several officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, have already assessed four of the six stadiums: the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in the nation’s capital; the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos; the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba; and the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
The four-man team was received in the nation’s capital, Abuja, late on Friday by the Deputy Director (Facilities) of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mallam Mohammed Rabiu, and the stadium managers. They were then taken through several sections of the arena for their evaluation and assessment duties.
On Saturday night, the team touched down in Lagos to take a look at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, which is currently under extensive renovation. They were received by the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku, alongside the Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Development, Mr. Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye.
In the early hours of Sunday, the CAF contingents visited the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba and were received by the Executive Director of the Delta State Sports Commission, Chief Tonobox Okowa (who is also President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria). He was also joined by the Director General, DSSC, Chief Chris Anazuih, and the Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, Chief Kenneth Nwaomucha, as the team went around the facility.
They also made a short journey to nearby Benin City on Sunday to assess the state of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. In attendance were the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Mr. Yusuf Alli; the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Sabina Chikere; the Chairman of the Edo State Football Association, Mr. Abu Rowland; and the Director of Facilities, Mr. Victor Edokpayi.
The visiting group has however been said to have echoed the same thoughts, which are mainly the need to restructure the stadiums to allow for strata and provide the avenue for different groups—such as VIPs, players and their officials, media representatives, and fans—to fit into the football facility.
They also opined that the layout should come with distinct entry and exit sections to enable easy movement.
The CAF contingents will also check out the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.
Nigeria hosted the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 1980, subsequently winning the tournament under the tutelage of late Brazilian coach Otto Gloria.
They last hosted the tournament 23 years ago, when they played co-host with neighbouring Ghana in 2000.
