NFF ‘unaware’ of reported Nigeria, Benin Republic bid to co-host 2025 AFCON

Senegal’s forward Sadio Mane holds the trophy prior to the ceremony after winning after the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 final football match between Senegal and Egypt at Stade d’Olembe in Yaounde on February 6, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday, denied knowledge of a reported joint bid process with Benin Republic to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. NFF First Vice President, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, told The Guardian he is not aware of such bid by Nigeria, adding, “In fact, I am just hearing this information for the first time.

“I don’t think such arrangement is in progress. I don’t know anything about the AFCON bid.” NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau and the Federation’s Media Director, Ademola Olajire, refused to comment on the project, with both ignoring calls and text messages sent to them by The Guardian.

According to the report, Nigeria and Benin Republic’s joint bid is one of the proposals for the 2025 AFCON before CAF. The report quoted a top official of the NFF as saying: “Having completed all the processes, we submitted our bid before the Confederation of African Football (CAF) deadline of December 16.”

It added that the NFF said it would throw more light on the bid in coming weeks. Algeria, Morocco and Zambia have also indicated interest in hosting the biggest football showpiece on the continent, which was originally awarded to Guinea.

CAF withdrew the hosting right from Guinea when it became obvious they would not provide the facilities and logistics needed to stage the competition in 2025.

If the Nigeria/Benin Republic joint bid succeeds, it would be the third time the country would host the competition, which was held last year in Cameroun.

Nigeria hosted