Gusau, Entire NFF Executive Committee Resign Amid National Outcry

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, MON, and General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi, MON, resigned on Thursday, with the entire NFF Executive Committee following suit. The mass departure comes amid widespread national frustration over the recent poor performances of Nigeria’s national teams.

Gusau’s resignation arrives just 34 days before the end of his four-year term. He was elected NFF President at the Annual General Assembly in Benin City, Edo State, on 30 September 2022.

In a statement, Gusau said the decision followed consultations with his family, friends and stakeholders in the football community. He confirmed he had already informed the Executive Committee and that the move was taken after careful consideration, in the overriding interest of Nigerian football.

“My resignation is intended to give way to a comprehensive and orderly reform process aimed at addressing the longstanding institutional, governance and developmental challenges confronting Nigerian football,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, Gusau who also served as President of WAFU B expressed satisfaction with his administration’s achievements. He highlighted a renewed focus on coaching education, with courses held across nearly all licence categories and the long-awaited CAF A-Licence course scheduled to begin on 13 September.

He also pointed to stability in the domestic league calendar, progress in refereeing, and infrastructure upgrades including a 68-room Players’ Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium. On the pitch, he noted the Super Eagles’ silver and bronze medals at the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the Super Falcons’ WAFCON triumph in Morocco in 2025.

The Zamfara-born administrator stepped down after a series of disappointing results. The most recent and painful was the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Nigeria’s first absence since the tournament began in China 35 years ago. This followed the Super Eagles’ failure to reach the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the U-20 men’s team’s inability to qualify for next year’s Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.