Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has said the ongoing reconstruction of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna will be completed by November 2026, with the facility expected to host major local and international sporting competitions.
The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday after leading some Nigerian football legends, including Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal and Emmanuel Babayaro, on an inspection tour of the ongoing reconstruction of the stadium.
According to Sani, the project is aimed at transforming the historic Ahmadu Bello Stadium into a modern, FIFA-standard sporting complex with a 33,000-capacity main bowl.
The reconstructed stadium will have more than twice the capacity of the original 16,000-seat facility and will feature a hybrid turf, which the governor said would be the first of its kind in Nigeria, alongside other world-class sporting facilities.
Sani said the training pitches had been completed, while construction work was continuing on the main bowl, ticketing points, media centre and athletes’ hostel.
“Our objective is larger than rebuilding a stadium,” the governor said.
“We are restoring Kaduna’s historic place at the heart of Nigerian sports; attracting major competitions; expanding opportunities for our young people; increasing internally generated revenue; and stimulating wider economic activity.”
The governor also announced that his administration was fulfilling a promise made three decades ago to members of the Atlanta 1996 Super Eagles team.
He said the footballers, who won Nigeria’s historic Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, had been promised plots of land and streets named in their honour, but the commitment remained unfulfilled for about 30 years.
“Our administration is now delivering on that commitment,” Sani said, adding that lands had been allocated to the football legends and that streets across Kaduna State would bear their names.
“The Atlanta 1996 Super Eagles were promised land and streets named in their honour. Lands have been allocated to the legends, while streets across Kaduna State will bear their names,” he said.
“These football heroes elevated Nigeria’s name, inspired generations and left an indelible mark on the global game. They deserve not merely our applause, but enduring recognition.”
Sani reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completing the stadium reconstruction by November 2026, saying the project represented a broader effort to revive Kaduna State’s sporting heritage.
“Kaduna is not merely rebuilding a stadium,” the governor said. “We are rebuilding a legacy and reclaiming our rightful place in Nigerian sports.”
