COMMENT: Can Nigeria and Benin really host the AFCON in 2025?

So far, African football’s governing body have confirmed six bids for the 2025 tournament, with each bid expecting to replace Guinea who had been stripped of hosting rights after they declared that they would not be ready in time, to host the event.

One of these six bids is Nigeria, which intends to co-host the event with the neighbouring Benin Republic, similar to what it did with Ghana in 2000.

But do Nigeria have what is required?

For anything to be acknowledged, interests have to be first indicated by interested member associations who are then to send a final bidding document to CAF for vetting.

These bidding documents must include a hosting agreement, host cities agreement, as well as Government guarantees.

CAF will then visit all bidding countries between 5 to 25 January 2023, and the appointment of the new host will then be made known on 10 February 2023 by the CAF Executive Committee.

Following the 2019 expansion of AFCON from 16 to 24 teams, CAF will require six venues for the tournament.

These venues MUST have a minimum capacity of:

Now, while no one outside of the CAF’s AFCON bid evaluation committee and Nigeria and Benin Republic’s co-bidding committee knows the details of the final bidding document, it is not difficult to tell if already standing edifices in Nigeria impress. Recall that Guinea was stripped of hosting rights due to inadequate facilities and infrastructure.

Aside from Uyo (30000-seater), the venue for last season’s CAF Confederation Cup final, and the refurbished Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja (60491-seater), Nigeria has often struggled to find a decent stadium to host the Super Eagles.

In recent years, the Super Eagles have played in Port-Harcourt (38000-seater), and Lagos’ Teslim Balogun (24325-seater) with the National Stadium in Lagos (55000-seater) currently undergoing renovations. Enugu’s Nnamdi Stadium (22000) played host to the 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Benin, who have never hosted a major continental event, have two notable stadiums – I’Amitie Stadium (20000-seater) and Porto-Novo Stadium which can host 13,000 fans.

Beyond having the necessary stadium infrastructure, hospitality for visitors, security, and a proper transport network are also necessities for hosting a major tournament.

From kidnapping to extremist insurgencies, almost every corner of Nigeria has been hit by violence in the last seven years in an unprecedented wave of crime.

Lagos, one of the suspected host cities should Nigeria and Benin Republic win the hosting bid, is currently ranked worst among African cities facing challenges of road traffic congestion, something that might be a major issue during the competition.

On the bright side, Lagos, as well as many other Nigerian major cities like Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt and co. can boast about a thriving hospitality sector. At best, investing to make these ‘thriving’ host cities top-notch shouldn’t cost a buck.

Benin Republic being the fifth largest tourist destination in West Africa also lends credence to the fact that this, might just be the only part that the Nigeria-Benin 2025 bid have under check, or perhaps, not have to go overboard to get right.

Again, while the bidding document might not be public just yet, it is not difficult to pass an eye test on bidding nations and tell who is ready or not.

While a lot is bound to happen between February 2023: when the bid is won, and 2025: when the tournament takes place, public opinion already suggests that many Nigerians do not consider this ample time for adequate preparations.

With the general elections drawing nigh in a Nigeria that is suspected to hold the larger sway should the Nigeria-Benin bid fly, uncertainty surrounding the depreciating economic situation of the country increases.

CAF at the moment will be looking to avoid a repeat of Guinea for 2025 and might in February, likely opt to go with the bid that doesn’t suggest a repeat.

But should the Nigeria-Benin Republic bid be selected, it will take a miracle – possibly with a lot of funds, but not from Nigeria’s already empty pockets – for the tournament to hold as planned.