Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has rejected claims that funds meant for the FIFA Goal Project in Kebbi State were mismanaged, describing the accusations as “completely misconstrued.”

The issue came to light after FIFA shared a post on social media showing the half-finished Benin-Kebbi Stadium. The image sparked outrage from football fans who questioned how the project’s funds were used.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, Pinnick insisted that the project followed due process and that FIFA maintained close oversight of every transaction.

“If FIFA gives you their money, they audit their money, they know A to Z, and they have standards. So if the contract was about $1.1 million in 2020, how much was it in naira? Less than ₦400 million, that’s what people don’t know,” he explained.

Pinnick added that even though the COVID-19 pandemic caused construction delays, no additional funds were approved and the project remained within its original budget.

“There was no variation despite the challenges. Everything went according to plan. You can hate Amaju Pinnick, but love Nigerian football,” he said.

Note that the FIFA Goal Project was designed to improve football facilities across the world, but in Nigeria, it has attracted criticism due to the condition of some unfinished or poorly maintained sites.