Super Eagles May Get New Home As Abuja Stadium Undergoes Major Renovation
Nigeria’s Super Eagles could have an alternative home ground to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo in the coming months as plans move forward to renovate the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, confirmed that the Abuja stadium would undergo a major renovation to make it a world-class sports facility.
Speaking at an event on Wednesday, Dikko said contracts had been awarded to companies with experience in maintaining top football stadiums around the world.
“We have already procured all the contracts and awarded all the projects. We have brought in the best companies in the world that we know,” he said.
Dikko explained that the company handling the Abuja pitch had worked on the playing surfaces at San Siro in Italy and Santiago Bernabéu in Spain.
He added that samples of water and sand had been sent to Europe for testing to ensure that the grass selected for the stadium would meet the required standards.
“Our target is to put in the best pitch in Africa. It is costing us millions of dollars to achieve that,” he said.
According to Dikko, the project will cover more than the playing surface, as the running tracks and dressing rooms will also be rebuilt.
Two new training pitches and a media centre are planned, while the stadium hostel will be upgraded to a four-star facility to provide a comfortable environment for players.
He said the target was to complete the work by March 2027, ahead of the national team’s upcoming fixtures.
More Nigerian Stadiums To Host International Matches
Dikko also disclosed that the renovation plan would cover other parts of the country.
He said the commission was working with the Borno State Government to make its stadium operational, while Kaduna and Oyo states were also part of the plans.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu is also expected to benefit from similar efforts.
According to him, Nigeria could have between five and eight stadiums capable of hosting international matches by the middle or end of 2027.
### Will The Super Eagles Leave Uyo?
The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo has served as a regular home ground for the Super Eagles in recent years, hosting several important matches and qualifiers.
The planned renovation of the Abuja stadium could give the national team another option, especially for matches played in the federal capital.
However, the announcement does not mean the Super Eagles will immediately stop playing in Uyo. The team could continue using the Akwa Ibom stadium while other venues are being upgraded.
The availability of more stadiums would give the Nigeria Football Federation greater flexibility when choosing venues for international matches.
### Can Abuja Meet The March 2027 Deadline?
Although Dikko expressed hope that the project would be completed by March 2027, the timeline will depend on how quickly the renovation work progresses.
The project covers several areas, including the pitch, running tracks, dressing rooms, training grounds, media centre and players’ accommodation.
Completing all these facilities within the proposed period would be an important step towards restoring the Abuja stadium as a venue for major football matches.
For now, the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium remains an established home ground for the Super Eagles, while the planned improvements in Abuja could provide another option if the work is completed as expected.
