By Dorcas Francis Koji
World football governing body FIFA has formally accepted the resignations of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) principal officers and expressed its commitment to working with Nigerian football authorities on a comprehensive reform programme.
The development followed a high-level meeting between FIFA officials and a Nigerian delegation led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko at the FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday.
The delegation included NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, acting NFF General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and NFF Director of Legal Services Okey Obi.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other senior officials participated in the meeting, where discussions focused on the future structure and administration of Nigerian football.
According to a statement issued by NFF acting Deputy General Secretary Dr Ademola Olajire, FIFA backed the proposed reforms and agreed to continue engaging with the Nigerian government, the NFF administration and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The parties agreed to work on a roadmap covering short-, medium- and long-term reforms, with the objective of creating a more inclusive NFF and a stable environment for the development of Nigerian football.
The statement said the process would seek to ensure that the new structure is capable of delivering success both on and off the pitch while promoting the growth of the sport across the country.
Speaking after the meeting, Dikko assured Nigerians and football stakeholders that the reform process would be thorough and conducted in line with the relevant rules, regulations and statutes governing the sport.
He said ongoing consultations involving the NSC, NFF administration, CAF and FIFA would help establish a properly structured football administration.
The FIFA meeting came days after the mass resignation of the NFF board, which followed mounting criticism of the federation’s leadership and the performances of Nigeria’s national teams.
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and the 11 other members of the executive committee resigned, creating a leadership vacuum within the federation.
Gusau, whose tenure was expected to expire in September, confirmed his resignation during a press conference in Abuja last Thursday.
Following the mass exit, an interim leadership structure was put in place to oversee the federation’s affairs. Ikpeme, who previously served as deputy general secretary, was appointed acting general secretary, while Olajire assumed the role of acting deputy general secretary.
The crisis had intensified following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ inability to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The NFF has also faced wider questions concerning governance, administration and financial management, adding to calls for fundamental changes within the country’s football system.
The latest engagement with FIFA and CAF could now pave the way for a broader restructuring of Nigerian football, with stakeholders hoping the process will produce an administration capable of restoring stability, improving governance and returning Nigeria’s national teams to the highest level of international competition.
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