President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football following the mass resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership and the failure of both the Super Falcons and Super Eagles to qualify for upcoming FIFA World Cup tournaments. The directive was announced on Thursday by Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, hours after NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and members of the federation's Executive Committee stepped down.
Mass Resignations Shake NFF Leadership
The NFF confirmed the resignations in an official statement on its website, stating that Gusau's decision was intended to pave the way for "a comprehensive and orderly reform process" to address deep-rooted institutional, governance, and developmental problems within Nigerian football. The mass resignation comes amid mounting pressure over the declining state of the game in Nigeria, with both senior national teams failing to secure their places at the next World Cup.
The immediate trigger for the resignations was the Super Falcons' failure to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup, as reported by Al Jazeera. The 10-time Women's Africa Cup of Nations winners were eliminated in the quarterfinals of this year's continental tournament and subsequently lost 2-1 to South Africa in a World Cup playoff. This marks the first time Nigeria will miss the Women's World Cup since the tournament began in 1991.
Tinubu Blames Structural Weaknesses
Tinubu attributed Nigeria's repeated failure to qualify for major regional, continental, and global competitions to what he called "structural weaknesses" within the system. The President drew a contrast with other sports, pointing to progress recorded in those areas after the re-establishment of the National Sports Commission.
"Football, Nigeria's most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system," Tinubu said. He added that the reform must tackle governance, administration, domestic competitions, development pathways, and accountability across the board.
Super Eagles' World Cup Absence Deepens Crisis
The men's team, the Super Eagles, have also failed to qualify for the last two editions of the FIFA World Cup, underlining how far one of Africa's historically strongest football nations has fallen in recent years. The absence from the global stage has intensified scrutiny on the NFF's management and governance.
Adding to the crisis, the NFF is reported to be under investigation by the Department of State Services over the alleged misuse of 17 billion naira (about $12.7 million) received from the federal government in 2024 to settle a backlog of payments owed to players and officials. National team coaches and players have previously protested publicly over unpaid allowances.
The reform ordered by Tinubu is expected to address these governance issues and restore the competitiveness of Nigerian football on the international stage. The president's directive signals a decisive intervention to overhaul the sport's administration and development pathways, with the goal of preventing future World Cup qualifying failures.
