NFF President Gusau, Other Board Members Resign Amid Mounting Pressure

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, and other members of the federation’s board have resigned amid growing concerns over the management and declining fortunes of Nigerian football.

The NFF board had come under intense pressure following a series of disappointing results and administrative challenges involving the country’s national teams.

The latest setback was the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, ending Nigeria’s record of appearing at every edition of the women’s tournament since its inception in 1991.

The Super Falcons lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON, ending their title defence and forcing the team into a World Cup qualification playoff.

Nigeria subsequently lost 2-1 to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the playoff, confirming the historic failure to qualify for the global tournament.

The development intensified calls for changes within the NFF, with members of the federation’s executive committee reportedly facing increasing pressure to resign.

The pressure was further heightened by an investigation into the utilisation of a N17 billion Federal Government intervention fund released to the NFF for outstanding wages and bonuses owed to players of Nigeria’s national teams.

The fund was approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to settle outstanding payments and improve the welfare of national-team players.

Security agencies, including the Department of State Services, DSS, reportedly became involved in examining the utilisation of the funds.

The investigation is expected to focus on relevant financial records and documentation showing how the intervention funds were disbursed and utilised.

The development comes amid wider public concerns about the administration of Nigerian football and the repeated failure of the national teams to achieve expected results.

The Super Eagles have also missed consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments, adding to concerns about the direction of Nigerian football.

Reports indicate that eight of the 13 members of the NFF board had already resigned, meaning more than half of the board had allegedly left their positions.

The resignation of Gusau and other board members could have significant implications for the NFF’s leadership structure and its planned electoral process.

The federation had scheduled elections for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, but the latest developments could affect the preparations and potentially alter the timetable.

The mass departures come at a critical period for Nigerian football, with calls growing for accountability, stronger administration and reforms to restore confidence in the country’s football governing body.

The NFF is now expected to address the leadership vacuum and determine the next steps for the federation ahead of its scheduled elections and upcoming international competitions.