Abuja –  The Confederation of African Football is ready to ensure a rapid development of Nigerian coaches, a member of the body’s Technical Committee, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, said on Saturday in Abuja.

He disclosed, while speaking at the closing ceremony of the CAF C-Licence Coaching Course, that this is because the continental football governing body has for long been worried about Nigeria.

“CAF is worried that Nigeria is not doing well in terms of development in the game, and this is why it has given us some considerations,’’ he said.

Onigbinde said CAF’s worry led it to allowing Nigeria have 80 participants at the course instead of the 40 earlier approved.

“We are indeed grateful to CAF on this, and it has taken this step because it wants Nigeria to be where it should be,’’ he said.

The FIFA/CAF Technical Instructor said the success of the course had moved the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) into making arrangements for the B-Licence Course.

He said the move was necessary as the association was hoping to make instructors out of those coaches with the B-Licence.

“We are proposing to have the B-Licence course very soon, because we want to produce more instructors and no one can be an instructor in this regard without the B-Licence,’’ Onigbinde said.

The former Super Eagles coach, who is also a member of the NFA Technical Committee, said the course participants had really learnt a lot within the course duration.

“We have gone through a lot about the game, from its history, organisation and administrative structures, to the coach, his responsibilities and qualities, and then the game’s content and target.

“But, because coaches are like teachers and if you want to improve the game’s quality, you need to improve the coaches. This is what we have done with this course.

“We hope some of them will come later for the B-Licence course, and the subsequent A-Licence course,’’ he said.

NFA President, Aminu Maigari, in his address at the occasion, had praised the course’s instructors led by Onigbinde for their efforts in imparting knowledge.

He also praised CAF for allowing NFA to run the course under its supervision.

The two-week course was attended by coaches drawn from across the country, with 30 of them being ex-internationals.

The others instructors are Kashimawo Laloko, James Peters, Paul Hamilton, Amodu Shaibu, Linus Mba, Dr Akin Amoo, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and two other instructors sent by CAF.(NAN)