The Chief Executive Officer of Monimechelle Sports Facility Construction Ltd, Ebi Egbe, has expressed concerns about the advocacy for 100 percent natural grass in Nigerian stadiums. According to Egbe, this stance is detrimental to the nation's football development. He argues that while natural grass is excellent when properly constructed and maintained, the reality is that Nigeria lacks the necessary infrastructure, expertise, and budget to maintain it. Egbe questions who will maintain the grass, the maintenance budget, and where the qualified groundsmen and pitch maintenance machines are.
Egbe highlights that Nigerian football has developed a habit of building natural grass pitches, only to neglect their maintenance. He notes that after a pitch is unveiled, politicians take photographs, officials walk across it, and the media celebrates, but the maintenance culture disappears shortly after. Egbe emphasizes that a football pitch is not a static entity, but a living sporting infrastructure that requires continuous maintenance, money, science, equipment, and qualified personnel. He stresses that a pitch can look magnificent in photographs but still fail tests of football surface hardness, traction, and overall playability.
Egbe introduces the Monimichelle NETPRO/PRT system, a high-performance hybrid synthetic football turf engineered to deliver the playing characteristics of a natural grass pitch while providing durability and all-weather reliability. He explains that this system focuses on key football requirements, including player-surface interaction, traction, stability, shock absorption, and reduced injury risk. The system also provides consistent ball roll, rebound, and pace, as well as the ability to withstand intensive usage and weather challenges.
According to Egbe, the Monimichelle NETPRO/PRT system has achieved FIFA Quality certification after testing, including performance characteristics such as ball roll, rebound, durability, and player-surface interaction. He believes that this hybrid synthetic turf system represents the future of African elite football pitches, as it shifts the focus from simply building football fields to engineering football performance environments. Egbe emphasizes that football needs a playable pitch, not just a beautiful story and content pictures.
Egbe criticizes the current state of football pitches in Nigeria, citing the example of the 15-year-old grass at the Uyo stadium. He argues that this is a major problem affecting the performance of the Super Eagles, the national football team. Egbe suggests that Nigeria should focus on constructing pitches engineered to survive in Africa, rather than advocating for 100 percent natural grass. He cites the example of the General Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, which he is working on, and plans to bring in a team of experts from FIFA to inspect it.
Egbe emphasizes that the conversation about whether a pitch is 100 percent natural or synthetic is misguided. He argues that the focus should be on the quality and playability of the pitch, rather than its composition. Egbe believes that hybrid synthetic technology can provide a solution to the challenges facing Nigerian football, and that it is a more practical and sustainable option.
Egbe concludes by stating that Nigeria needs to prioritize the construction of high-quality pitches that can withstand the demands of football. He emphasizes that this requires a shift in mindset, from simply building pitches to engineering football performance environments. Egbe believes that with the right approach, Nigeria can develop world-class football pitches that can support the growth and development of the sport.
Key points
- Ebi Egbe criticizes advocates of 100% natural grass in Nigerian stadiums.
- Monimichelle NETPRO/PRT system is a high-performance hybrid synthetic football turf.
- Nigeria needs to prioritize constructing high-quality pitches that can withstand football demands.
