President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football following a string of disappointing results and the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi.
The development marks a major turning point for Nigerian football, coming after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons missed out on the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, ending their historic run of appearances at every edition of the tournament since 1991.
In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the reform was necessary to address longstanding structural weaknesses in the administration and development of football in the country.
According to the President, the overhaul will focus on governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across the football system.
Tinubu said football, despite being Nigeria’s most popular sport and receiving significant public attention and investment, had continued to struggle because of weaknesses within its administrative structure.
He stressed that Nigeria must build institutions capable of matching the country’s abundant football talent, passion and resources with sustained success on the international stage.
The President directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and other relevant stakeholders to maintain essential football operations while beginning a broad and consultative reform process.
He also directed that the process should include appropriate consultations with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while ensuring that Nigeria continues to meet its obligations under the international football framework.
The presidential directive came as the crisis surrounding the NFF leadership reached a climax.
Gusau announced his resignation at a press conference in Abuja, saying he had decided to step aside to give other Nigerians an opportunity to contribute to the development of the sport.
He said he had informed members of his board of his decision and advised those willing to do so to also resign. However, at the time of his announcement, he said he could not confirm how many board members had followed suit.
Gusau, who was elected NFF president in September 2022, defended his administration, insisting that he was leaving the federation in a better position than he found it.
His resignation came amid intense criticism over the performance of Nigeria’s national teams and wider concerns about the administration of football in the country.
Earlier in the day, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi also announced his resignation, further deepening the leadership crisis at the federation.
The pressure on the NFF intensified after the Super Eagles failed to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup. The situation became even more damaging when the Super Falcons subsequently failed to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup after losing their playoff against South Africa.
The setbacks prompted widespread calls for changes at the highest levels of Nigerian football, with former players, administrators and other stakeholders demanding greater accountability and a fresh direction for the sport.
The NFF had already established a fact-finding process to examine the poor performances of the national teams and identify problems within the federation.
With Gusau and other officials now stepping aside, attention will turn to the process of stabilising the federation and determining the next leadership structure.
The resignations also raise questions about the NFF electoral process, with elections for the federation’s executive board previously scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The immediate challenge for Nigerian football will be to maintain the administration of the game while the reform process gets underway.
For Tinubu’s administration, the objective is to use the current crisis as an opportunity to rebuild Nigerian football around stronger institutions, transparent administration, effective development programmes and greater accountability.
The success of the reform will ultimately depend on whether the various stakeholders can work together to create a football system capable of converting Nigeria’s enormous talent and resources into consistent success at domestic, continental and global levels.