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President of the Nigeria Football Federation,NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, has formally resigned from office, ending his tenure as head of the country’s football governing body.
Gusau confirmed his resignation at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, stating that the decision takes immediate effect.
Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary of the NFF also announced his resignation during the press conference.
Other members of the NFF Executive Committee have also submitted their resignations.
Gusau Confirms Exit
“After consultation with family, friends and stakeholders, I just want to tell you that I have decided to resign my position,” Gusau said during his interaction with the media.
“I have also advised my board members to resign.”
Tough Period For Nigerian Football
Gusau’s announcement brings clarity to days of speculation over the future of the NFF leadership.
Read Also:Time For Gusau NFF Board To Quit — Danladi Bako
The 62-year-old and other members of the NFF Executive Committee have faced intense pressure following a string of disappointing results recorded by Nigeria’s national teams.
The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was one of the major setbacks recorded under the administration.
The Super Falcons also missed out on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, bringing an end to Nigeria’s ever-present record at the tournament since its inaugural edition in 1991.
The 10-time African champions saw their qualification hopes dashed after a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the play-off, having earlier suffered a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Flying Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations after losing 4-1 to Burkina Faso in the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship.
Gusau’s resignation also comes ahead of the NFF elective congress scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He was elected NFF President in September 2022, succeeding Amaju Melvin Pinnick.
By Adeboye Amosu
16 Comments
A good start.
Wat a Wonderfoo newsl!! very beutifool! Agreat days for Nigeria foosbals
Ees good rivance to bad robbishes.
Wait! ees dis news confirm???? hmm
This is a great opportunity for total restructuring. Amaju Pinnick’s name must never be mentioned as a candidate to head the Normalization Committee. Instead, we need individuals like Mike Emenalo, Chief Segun Odegbami, Mikel Obi, and other competent stakeholders or ex-players who can actually bring lasting, meaningful changes to Nigerian football as a whole.
I will not jump to conclusions. Until we see who are going to form the normalisation committee and what changes they will be bringing to the new constitution of nff
The national teams both male and female including the under age have all been hijacked by agents, nff members and some crooks within the rank.
We don’t want old wine in new bottles.
Yes! Musa Gusau is gone. One chapter has closed, but if all we do is replace one set of occupants with another, then we have changed the faces without changing the disease.
The real battle now should be about rebuilding the architecture of the NFF itself. The electoral college needs to be expanded beyond the traditional ecosystem of state football associations and the familiar political football establishment. Former internationals, coaches, administrators, club owners, women’s football stakeholders, players’ representatives, technocrats and credible private-sector professionals should have a meaningful voice. You cannot continue running a modern football economy with a governance structure that sometimes looks like it was designed when VHS was still king.
And the NFF constitution needs a serious rethink. Performance must become measurable. Give the leadership clearly defined KPIs: national-team qualification and performance, youth development, coaching education, club development, women’s football, grassroots competitions, financial transparency, sponsorship growth, infrastructure and continental performance. If an administration fails spectacularly against agreed targets, it should not automatically receive a fresh opportunity simply because it still has enough political friends in the electoral college.
We also need to broaden the quality of people sitting around that table. Imagine bringing in people with the international football experience of Mike Emenalo, the playing and administrative perspective of Seyi Olofinjana, the football journalism and governance insight of Osasu Obayiwana, the analytical and corporate experience of Elegbete, the international playing experience of Victor Anichebe, and former Super Eagles stars like Mikel Obi, alongside credible professionals from finance, law, technology, marketing and corporate governance.
This isn’t about importing big names for decoration. We need to bring competence into a system that is dying because of lack of it.
Nigeria has enormous football talent, but talent without competent administration is like putting a Ferrari engine inside a danfo and expecting Formula 1 results.
The departure of Gusau should therefore not be celebrated merely as our man is gone. ”It should be the beginning of a much bigger conversation: What kind of football federation do we actually want?
Because if the same electoral mathematics, the same patronage networks, the same weak accountability and the same political calculations remain intact, the next president may simply become Gusau 2.0; with a different name and a fresh campaign poster.
We don’t need another saviour. We need a system that makes it difficult for the wrong person to rise and almost impossible for a non-performing administration to hide behind politics.
That, for me, is the real victory we should be pursuing now.
Supported!!
Excellent points.
Thank God Almighty that we have seen the end of incompetent, corrupt and lazy administration of football in Nigeria. Ah!! What a great relief and an opportunity to reorganize the structure and administrative organs of our football.
I am particularly happy that Sanusi the secretary that has refused to leave has finally tender his resignation. This will bring fresh air and new ideas in football administration in Nigeria. Bravo.
God bless Nigeria and bless Nigeria football as we begin another journey of football administration in Nigeria. Bravo!!!.
Best news of the day
Una don do well
Make una park somewhere
I am personally sorry for this situation Mr President, but it’s the best decision for you, many Nigerian leaders can’t do this but you took a bold step, i wish you good luck,
First thing first, this is a victory for every fans here on this platform.
Now the way we clamour for the exit of nff chairman and board member, we should start shouting the names of those we want to form the new board.
Here are my own list, Micheal Emenalo, Seyi Olofinjana, Mikel Obi, Austine Jaja, Vincent Enyama, Segun Odegbami, Samson Siasia.
I don’t want to ever see these people near our football again; Cereso, ladan boso, maguda or whatever, yobo, etc. NFF Nigeria fatal failure
OTILO!
We meeeeuve!
The president of Nigeria has done well to purge a system that’s not working..
However, himself needs to resign as the president of Nigeria,That includes Wike,the corrupt senate president and all Tinibu’s executive board.
The Nigerian state needs a thorough reorganization.
Nigerians have suffered too much and for so long.Things have to be done differently henceforth.
The resignation of the Nff board is a honourable thing to do,though you expect that to happen a long time ago, however,I will still commend them because it is not a Nigerian thing.When leaders start serving in Nigeria, resignation will be easy.
@greenturf you know you are my guy right?
Please sit this one out!
This your comment is just giving “I am a peter obi supporter” kind of vibe… lol..
Look I am not a fan of tinubu, wike, the senate president or any of these politicians but please they are not the reason for our national teams failures….
Infact tinubu administration has done well in terms of supporting, funding our sport and rewarding our teams…..
Ok let me ask you….
Is tinubu. the fct minister wike or the senate president the deligates that are responsible for the appointment of the nff president??
Are they responsible for the appointment of coaches and the technical crew?
Are they the ones inviting players and selecting them for tournaments??
Are they the ones giving the tactical formations to the teams??
Are they the ones directly paying this players their salaries, bonuses or releasing funds for early and quick tournaments preparations???
You and I know that (politics or politicians) they have zero direct interference to the game of football!…
So they are not the reason for our teams poor showing on the pitch please….
Thanks!
Fellow Nigerians, please don’t rejoice yet.
The job is not done yet; in fact, the work has just started.
My main question is: who will replace the past NFF board members?
Can the government allow the ex-players to replace the NFF Ajewomasan, the debtors?
If yes, then which ex-players do we need on there?
That is where we all have to get it right. Not just ex-players, but ex-players who know what it takes to deliver.
However, Mr. Ọdegbami should not be part of the new NFF. I have my reason.
Those who will select the new NFF should verify what he has done in Ogun State in the past. He did not do well, and the fans were chasing him out of the Moshood Abiola Stadium that year. Almost 22 years ago, I am not mistaken. I was at the stadium, and that was the first time I saw Mr. Sęgun Ọdegbami live and direct.
So, we need fresh injections such as Micheal Emenalo, Seyi Olofinjana, Mikel Obi and so on to make up the new NFF or NFA, whichever kę.
Lastly, glory to God almighty for bringing a new era to Nigeria. This has never happened in Nigeria. For a lead of one group to resign just like Gusau did? Mba.
I said in my last comment here on this platform when Super Falcons failed woefully in this year’s WAFCON that I was watching the Nigerian government’s reactions, and the government responded well.
The same thing applies to our politicians and the government itself. We need our identity back in Nigeria.
The way we chased Gusau and his troops out of office, Nigerians have to do the same to our government/politicians if we need accountability, transparency and progress in Nigeria.
Amaju Pinnick and his group must be probed also. You won’t escape this, Amaju.
It is not time to celebrate; instead, let’s see what is going to happen to Nigerian sports between now and December. May God spare our lives beyond that time.
Gusau and Amaju Pinnick, I have warned you that your days are numbered. This is just the beginning, kę.
Mr. TINUBU is next in line. Nigeria as a country needs a young, vibrant president like the president of Burkina Faso. Those who are ruling Nigeria today are the enemies of Nigeria. I am begging all of them, in the name of God, please, you people should tender your resignation letters as the NFF president and his members did.
New days have come. If you don’t do well at any level in Nigeria, you must resign, shikena. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Remove Mikel Obi from there, please. He is a content creator.
LoL…heavy content creator my brother…
And omo9ja first of, here is not a political forum..
.
We discuss purely football here…
But then if you guys are saying tinubu should resign base on the insecurities, hunger poverty etc in the country, I will understand.
But not that he should resign because the country national teams failed woefully at tournaments!