FIFA, CAF Weigh Divided Positions on NFF Reforms After Governance Crisis

FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are weighing conflicting recommendations from stakeholders following a two-day assessment of the crisis within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and proposals to reform the administration of Nigerian football.

The assessment followed the mass resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other board members on August 27. The leadership crisis came amid growing concerns over the performances of Nigeria’s national and youth teams, including the failure of the senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.

The FIFA-CAF delegation included FIFA Member Association Governance Services team lead Ahmed Harraz, FIFA Head of Member Association Governance Rolf Tanner, FIFA Regional Office for West Africa lead El Hadj Wack Diop and CAF Legal Manager Nnaemeka Olu.

During the two-day mission, the delegation consulted various groups within Nigerian football, including stakeholders from the NFF and the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria. The consultations produced differing views on how the federation should address its leadership vacuum and proposed governance reforms.

Representatives of the players’ union, coaches and referees reportedly supported a reform pathway that would provide broader representation across the NFF Congress, board and standing committees. They also backed a normalisation process involving stakeholders as part of efforts to restructure the federation.

However, State Football Association chairmen, who make up a significant portion of the NFF Congress and voting bloc, opposed the call for a normalisation committee. Gombe State FA chairman Yakubu Sarma said the existing football structures remained functional and capable of resolving the leadership situation.

“The key issue we presented before FIFA as Congress members representing the FAs is that Nigerian football is not in crisis,” Sarma said. He pointed to ongoing domestic leagues, continental club competitions, women’s football and the functioning NFF secretariat as evidence that the existing system remained operational.

Another proposal came from former NFF presidents, vice-president and former general secretaries, who jointly called for a six-month normalisation committee to overhaul football administration before fresh elections are held.

The group, which includes former NFF presidents Sani Lulu Abdullahi and Aminu Maigari, proposed a transition involving stakeholder consultations, local football council elections, State FA elections, an expanded NFF Congress and, ultimately, national NFF elections.

They also called for changes to the current Congress voting structure, arguing that State FAs control roughly 84 per cent of voting power and that leagues, players, coaches, referees and grassroots football bodies should have broader representation.

With the consultations now completed, FIFA and CAF are expected to assess the competing proposals before deciding on the next steps. The outcome could shape the future leadership structure of the NFF and the wider governance of Nigerian football.