The Football Coaches Association of Africa Nations has successfully trained 250 grassroots coaches across Lagos State in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revolutionising football development in the country.
The free coaching courses were conducted in Ikeja, Ikorodu, Badagry, Lagos Island and Epe Football Divisional Associations, marking the beginning of FCAAN’s ambitious plan to train 2,000 coaches nationwide at no cost.
FCAAN Chief Executive Officer Danny Nazzal attributed the low productivity of African footballers to poor coaching standards, emphasising the urgent need for quality education to transform the narrative, particularly at the foundation level.
“For us at FCAAN, we are committed to bringing quality education to Nigerian coaches and, by extension, Africa,” Nazzal stated.
The association’s president, Dr Terry Eguaoje, stressed that grassroots education remains crucial for football development, highlighting the transformative potential of well-trained coaches at the foundational level.
“Grassroots education is key to development, and having well-rounded and qualified coaches at this level will enhance our football. FCAAN has opened a new chapter for growth in coaching education, and we hope the coaches will take advantage of the course and continue to grow themselves,” Eguaoje said.
The initiative forms part of FCAAN’s broader vision to elevate African football through comprehensive coach education programmes that target the grassroots level.
We hope by training 2,000 coaches across Nigeria, we would have contributed to the growth of the beautiful game and, for us in FCAAN, quality education to grassroots footballers will further elevate the game and enhance the competitiveness of young players across the globe,” the association stated.
Participants at the Lagos venues praised FCAAN for the high-quality education provided, with many acknowledging that the course had fundamentally changed their understanding of coaching.
One coach noted, “We thought being a former footballer was enough to coach, but this eye-opener course has redefined our perspective, and we pledge to pursue further quality education to improve our coaching skills.”
The positive response from participants underscores the initiative’s potential to create lasting change in Nigerian football by producing more competent and confident coaches at the grassroots level.
FCAAN confirmed that the programme will next move to Ibadan before expanding to all regions of the country as part of their nationwide rollout strategy.
