Former NFF President Ibrahim Galadima dies at 74

Former Nigeria Football Association boss Ibrahim Galadima has died at the age of 74, bringing to a close the life of one of Nigerian football’s most notable administrators.

Football mourns a giant.
Former NFF President Ibrahim Galadima passes on at 74🕊️ pic.twitter.com/67qOTjEY3f

— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) April 18, 2026

Galadima, who served as president of the NFA—now known as the Nigeria Football Federation—was elected into office in 2002 at a time when the country’s football administration was undergoing significant transition.

His tenure placed him at the centre of efforts to stabilize and reposition the game domestically and internationally.

However, his time in charge was cut short in 2006 when he was removed from office amid broader structural changes within Nigerian football governance.

Despite the turbulence that often defined football administration in the country, Galadima stood out for a markedly different reason.

He remains the only former head of the federation not to have been implicated in any anti-corruption investigation or accused of financial mismanagement—an uncommon distinction in a system frequently dogged by controversy.

His leadership period coincided with a critical phase in Nigerian football, as authorities grappled with reforms, institutional credibility, and performance on the continental and global stage.

Tributes are expected from across the football fraternity in Nigeria and beyond, as colleagues and stakeholders reflect on his legacy—one defined as much by his administrative role as by his reputation for integrity.

Details surrounding his death have yet to be officially disclosed.