President Bola Tinubu has ordered a total reform of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the resignation of key officials, including President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, amid a major leadership shake-up in the federation.
The president said the reform has become necessary to address persistent failures by the nation’s national teams and tackle what he described as structural weaknesses affecting the administration and development of football in the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said Nigerian football must undergo far-reaching changes to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, player development, domestic competitions and accountability.
According to the president, despite football remaining Nigeria’s most popular sport and attracting significant public support and investment, the sector has continued to struggle while other sports have recorded progress following reforms in the sports sector.
Tinubu said the reform process should help Nigeria overcome repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and global competitions.
He consequently directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, to work with the NFF secretariat in facilitating a broad and consultative reform process.
The president, however, stressed the need for proper engagement with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ensure that Nigeria does not face sanctions over government interference in football administration.
The directive came hours after Gusau confirmed his resignation as NFF president, while Sanusi also stepped down as the federation’s general secretary.
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The shake-up followed growing public dissatisfaction over the performances of Nigeria’s national teams, particularly their failure to secure qualification for major international tournaments.
Under the outgoing NFF leadership, the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons also missed out on the Women’s World Cup. Nigeria’s U-17 and U-20 men’s teams similarly failed to qualify for their respective World Cup tournaments.
Gusau was elected NFF president in 2022, with his tenure expected to end next month ahead of an elective congress scheduled for September 27.
However, uncertainty now surrounds the planned congress, amid reports that a normalisation committee could be established to oversee the affairs of the federation pending further decisions on the reform process.
