The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the list of referees selected to officiate at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but once again, Nigeria has been left out. The exclusion of Nigerian match officials from Africa’s biggest football showpiece has sparked renewed concern over the nation’s declining presence in top-tier officiating.
The 35th edition of AFCON will hold from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, across six major Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Marrakech, and Rabat. The tournament, which brings together the best football talents across the continent, promises high-intensity matches and world-class displays of skill.
However, Nigeria’s absence from the referee list has become a recurring disappointment. According to CAF, 94 officials have been invited for a four-day pre-tournament training camp in Cairo from November 8 to 13. The program will feature 33 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 Video Assistant Referees (VAR) specialists. The sessions will focus on fitness, match management, and VAR operations to ensure consistent officiating standards throughout the competition.
Football observers say the exclusion reflects deeper structural issues within Nigeria’s football administration, particularly in referee development. Despite being one of Africa’s football powerhouses, Nigeria has failed to produce referees who meet CAF’s elite standards for nearly two decades.
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The last Nigerian referee to officiate at the Africa Cup of Nations was Emmanuel Imiere, who handled a group-stage match between Zambia and Guinea at the 2006 tournament in Egypt. Since then, no Nigerian official has been selected for AFCON duty.
Analysts believe the continuous absence of Nigerian referees at major tournaments underscores an urgent need for reform within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Many are calling for better training programs, transparent selection processes, and international exposure for upcoming referees to restore Nigeria’s reputation in African football officiating.
With the 2025 AFCON fast approaching, the omission serves as a wake-up call for the NFF to act decisively or risk further decline in one of the game’s most essential aspects officiating.
