Nigeria is awaiting an official decision from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on the proposed establishment of a Normalisation Committee to oversee the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following the world football governing body’s latest council meeting in Switzerland.

The FIFA Council held its 37th meeting in Zurich on October 15, with discussions covering football development funding, governance reforms and disciplinary procedures. However, the published statement on the meeting did not confirm whether the proposed committee for Nigeria had been approved.

The absence of a public announcement has left Nigerian football stakeholders uncertain about the next steps towards resolving the leadership crisis and restoring an elected administration at the NFF.

FIFA announced plans to increase its football development investment to US$6.35 billion for the 2027–2030 cycle, covering its 211 member associations, confederations and other stakeholders. Under the proposed framework, individual member associations could receive allocations of up to US$25 million, subject to applicable requirements and approval procedures.

The Council also agreed to establish a working group to examine FIFA’s governance framework and directed relevant committees to review disciplinary procedures.

Nigeria’s leadership crisis followed the resignations in August of former NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s executive board, creating a vacuum in the administration of Nigerian football.

In September, a joint delegation from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) visited Nigeria to consult stakeholders and explore possible solutions to the crisis.

One of the options under consideration is a Normalisation Committee to temporarily manage the federation, implement governance reforms and organise fresh elections. The proposed arrangement is intended to provide a transitional framework for restoring stable leadership at the NFF.

Earlier reports indicated that the proposal could be considered under the FIFA Council’s miscellaneous agenda. However, the outcome of the October 15 meeting has not provided public confirmation of the committee’s approval or a timetable for its establishment.

Stakeholders are now awaiting further communication from FIFA on whether the committee will be constituted, its membership and the timeline for returning the federation to elected leadership.

Until an official decision is announced, the future structure of the NFF’s administration and the timetable for completing the proposed reforms remain uncertain.