PHOTONEWS: The Culture of Waste, Corruption And Mismanagement At The National Stadium Abuja

The main pitch now

2003

The main pitch in 2003.

Saharareporters

Built at the cost of over N54 billion during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Abuja National Stadium was controversially constructed to hold the All Africa Games in 2003.
Like many public institutions the stadium is in terrible shape today as a result of neglect and mismanagement.
As shown in these photos, the National Stadium Abuja has been left to deteriorate over the years just like its counterparts in different parts of Nigeria.
The main pitch of the stadium is slowly turning into a forest while the power supply has been cut off from the facility for some time now. The stadium is currently under the management of Federal Capital Territory.
Femi Ipaye, a popular photo journalist with the News magazine, who was at the commissioning of the facility in 2003 and has been part of different sporting activities that were held there over the years.  Mr. Ipaye visited the stadium and presents the state of the facility before now and its current state by way of this photo documentary.
 Photo credit: Femi Ipaye