Football Plays A Key Role In Uniting Our People – President Buhari

​I am aware that this global Trophy Tour, which started on 22nd January, 2018 from London and scheduled to visit 91 cities across 51 countries in 6 continents, is designed to give millions of football fans across the globe the opportunity to experience, first hand, football’s most coveted trophy.

I wish to thank FIFA for deeming it fit to include two cities in Nigeria (Abuja and Lagos) in the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola.

​I wish to most sincerely appreciate our team to the Cup of Nations competition which was recently held in Morocco. They return home with a Silver Medal, we are proud of you!

We are all honoured to receive our ladies who represented us at the Winter Olympic held in South Korea.

Football has a cult following in Nigeria. Our passion for football cuts across all ages and plays a key role in uniting our people from various backgrounds, eradicating all physical and mental boundaries whenever our National Teams is in action.

The love of Nigerians for football extends beyond the shores of this nation as we have supporters for all the major football teams around the globe.

I am proud to note that Nigeria is the first African country to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Federal Government will ensure that necessary support is given to facilitate preparations for successful participation of the Super-Eagles at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

We recognize the role of football not only as a rallying point and unifier for our country, but also as a huge platform for the empowerment of our teeming and talented youths. We appreciate that the task of harnessing the potentials of and empowering our youths through sports can be achieved through effective partnership and collaboration with the private sector.

​I therefore commend Coca-Cola for investing in football development in Nigeria over the years, and most recently, the multi-year sponsorship deal with the Nigerian Football Federation as the “Official Soft Drink of the Super Eagles” and other national football teams.

​I implore other organizations to emulate the example of Coca-Cola in the sponsorship and support of football and other sports.

On this note, it is therefore, my pleasure to lift the original “FIFA World Cup” Trophy on behalf of my fellow country men and women.

I wish the delegation a successful tour of Nigeria and a safe trip to their next destination.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!