FIFA yet to decide on Nigeria football crisis

FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have said they are yet to make a decision on the future of football administration in Nigeria following the resignation of eight Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board members.

In a letter addressed to the NFF on Monday, the football governing bodies said they are currently assessing the legal, governance, administrative, and electoral implications of the developments. The letter was signed by FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Elkhan Mammadov.

“We refer to the various communications recently received by FIFA and CAF concerning developments within the Nigeria Football Federation,” Mammadov wrote.

The resignations included NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, who stepped down last week amid a corruption investigation by Nigeria’s secret police over the alleged misuse of 17 billion naira ($12.7 million) received from the government in 2024. The departures followed a delegation visit to FIFA in Zurich by Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko and others, who sought the global football body’s cooperation in reorganising the NFF.

FIFA said that despite various communications from Nigerian authorities, it has yet to reach a decision.

The crisis has raised questions about the stability of Nigerian football administration and the country’s international standing in the sport. The NFF board had been reduced to five members after eight of the thirteen board members resigned.

CAF has also been engaged in the discussions, with both bodies working to ensure the situation is resolved in line with their statutes.

Source: MRA