NFF Crisis: Gusau, Executive Committee Members Reportedly Resign
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, and several members of the federation’s Executive Committee have reportedly resigned amid mounting pressure over the state of Nigerian football.
Gusau is expected to address members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, where he is reportedly set to formally announce his resignation and provide further details on the development.
The reported mass resignation comes at a difficult period for Nigerian football, following a series of disappointing results involving the country’s national teams and growing concerns over the administration of the sport.
The NFF leadership has faced increased scrutiny following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons recently suffered the historic setback of missing qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria had featured in every edition of the Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991. However, the Falcons’ 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals pushed them into a qualification playoff, where they subsequently lost 2-1 to South Africa.
The leadership crisis has also been linked to scrutiny surrounding the utilisation of a N17bn Federal Government intervention fund released to the NFF in 2024 to settle outstanding payments owed to players and officials of the national teams.
The Department of State Services has reportedly been examining documents relating to the management of the funds. A source familiar with the process described the exercise as part of the normal review of government-funded programmes, rather than necessarily an indication of wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that several members of the NFF Executive Committee had already expressed their intention to leave their positions, with as many as eight of the 13 board members reportedly having resigned.
The development could have implications for the NFF election scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as stakeholders await clarification on how the reported resignations will affect the federation’s administration and electoral process.
The crisis has intensified calls for reforms in Nigerian football, particularly in the areas of national-team management, funding, player welfare, grassroots development and administrative accountability.
For supporters and stakeholders, the major concern is whether the reported leadership shake-up will result in meaningful reforms capable of restoring confidence in Nigerian football.
The NFF is expected to clarify the status of the reported resignations and the next steps for the federation as preparations continue for the forthcoming electoral process.
If formally confirmed and processed in line with the NFF’s statutes, the resignations could usher in a significant new phase in the administration of Nigerian football.
