Nigeria’s football administration has been thrown into uncertainty after the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, its general secretary and the entire executive committee resigned from office.
Gusau announced his departure at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, just 33 days before his tenure was due to end.
He said the decision followed discussions with his family, associates and key stakeholders.
Gusau became NFF president in September 2022 and was widely expected to seek another term in office.
However, his administration had come under increasing criticism over the performances of Nigeria’s senior and youth national teams, as well as concerns about the management of the federation.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 Fifa World Cups during his tenure, an unusual setback for one of Africa’s leading football nations.
The latest crisis follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a broad overhaul of Nigerian football.
Alongside Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and the federation’s 11 other executive committee members have also resigned.
Emmanuel Ikpeme, a former deputy general secretary, has been appointed acting general secretary, while former media and communications director Ademola Olajire will serve as interim deputy general secretary.
The NFF’s planned elections on 27 September have also been put on hold.
The federation said a new election timetable would be established after the proposed reforms are completed in collaboration with Fifa and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
President Tinubu said the restructuring was intended to create a more transparent, efficient and successful football system.
He criticised longstanding weaknesses within the sport, saying Nigerian football required improvements in leadership, administration, representation, talent development, domestic competitions and financial accountability.
Pressure on the NFF leadership increased following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The setback ended the Super Falcons’ record of appearing at every edition of the tournament since it began in 1991.
The nine-time African champions entered the recent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) as holders but were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals.
They subsequently suffered defeat to South Africa in the World Cup qualification play-off.
Gusau, while announcing his resignation, expressed confidence that Nigerian football could recover and urged stakeholders to continue supporting the sport.
Under his leadership, the Super Eagles reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, their failure to qualify for consecutive World Cups has highlighted the extent of Nigeria’s recent decline.
The country’s youth teams have also struggled to deliver major achievements at continental and international tournaments.
Financial management has emerged as another major concern.
Attention has centred on a 17 billion naira ($12.66m; £9.31m) government intervention package reportedly authorised by President Tinubu in 2024 to clear unpaid expenses and other financial commitments involving the national teams.
Although authorities have not released definitive conclusions, reviews are reportedly examining financial records and the federation’s administrative practices.
A separate inquiry launched after the Super Falcons’ Wafcon elimination also raised concerns about the running of the national teams.
The report alleged that some NFF officials interfered with player selection and claimed that financial considerations, rather than sporting ability, sometimes influenced the choice of players by officials and coaches.
Demands for fundamental changes have consequently intensified.
Former Nigerian stars such as John Obi Mikel, Jay-Jay Okocha and Segun Odegbami have called for a new approach, arguing that the country needs to move away from administrators associated with years of disappointing results.
The mass resignations have created an immediate leadership vacuum, but some football stakeholders believe the situation could provide an opportunity to rebuild the NFF and introduce stronger standards of governance.
The developments come as concerns about transparency and leadership continue to dominate conversations within international football.
For Nigeria, the immediate challenge will be restoring trust in the federation while addressing the sporting, administrative and financial problems that have contributed to the current crisis.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong