Minna, July 23, 2026 (NAN) The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, has commended Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger for his commitment to football development.

Gusau gave the commendation on Thursday after inspecting the rehabilitation work at Bako Kontagota Stadium in Minna alongside the governor.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work and lauded the state government’s vision of using sports as a platform for talent discovery and development.

The NFF president said the completion of the project would enable Niger Tornadoes Football Club to return to Minna to play its home matches.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Niger Tornadoes had been playing its home fixtures in other states following the deterioration of the stadium.

Speaking during the inspection, Bago said the rehabilitation of the stadium formed part of his administration’s efforts to promote football and other sporting activities across the state.

The governor said that the project would be ready for commissioning in August.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in sports beyond football, adding that the state had entered into partnerships aimed at identifying and nurturing young talents in various sporting disciplines.

According to him, the future of sports development in Niger is bright.

The NFF president also inspected the Ahmadu Bahago Sports Complex, the Sports Academy and the Niger State Sports Commission during the visit.