The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says efforts are on by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ensure that clubs meet the minimum requirements for participation in CAF competitions.

Second Vice-President of NFF, Shehu Dikko, said this in Abuja on Thursday, at the opening of a two-day CAF club licensing seminar for clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Dikko, who is also the Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), said that he was optimistic that the seminar would expose the clubs to the basic rules of the game.

This, according to him, will go a long way in enhancing the development of football in Nigeria.

He said: “FIFA has since 2007 introduced club licensing requirements for all clubs participating in domestic leagues and intercontinental competitions.

“The objective is to ensure that there is a minimum benchmark that clubs need to meet for them to be able to participate in the league and in intercontinental competitions.

“The clubs need these minimum requirements for them to be better organised, with sporting facilities, infrastructure, financing, commercial activities, the personnel and what have you.”

According to him, once the clubs are better organised and better managed, it means the players will be better paid.

He said: “You can see the way the UEFA Champions League and the leagues in Europe have all developed to a certain level.

“It is the same objective in Africa. Now CAF is starting their own by next season and that is why we are doing the seminar to be able to put our clubs and teams in the best shape to be able to comply.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 20 clubs are being represented at the seminar, which is jointly organised by CAF and NFF.

The seminar ends on Aug. 28. (NAN)

•Photo shows Alh. Dikko

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