Breaking News: FIFA and CAF order halt to NFF election process amid Nigeria football crisis

FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have asked for the Nigeria Football Federation’s electoral process to remain suspended while they investigate the leadership crisis that has engulfed the country’s football governing body.

World football’s governing body has also announced plans for a joint FIFA-CAF mission to Abuja to meet Nigerian football officials, electoral bodies and representatives of the federal government before deciding what action, if any, should follow.

The intervention, contained in a letter dated 7 September and addressed to NFF Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme, follows the resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s Executive Committee.

FIFA said it and CAF were examining the “legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications” of developments within the federation and stressed that no conclusions had yet been reached.

“At this stage, FIFA and CAF have not reached any conclusions regarding the matters under review and no determination has been made with respect to any potential next steps,” the letter said.

The governing bodies have requested that the NFF electoral process be suspended and that no further decisions connected with it should be taken until further notice.

FIFA said the measure was intended “to preserve the status quo while FIFA and CAF complete their assessment of the current situation and engage with the relevant stakeholders”.

It added that the request should not be regarded as a judgement on the validity of decisions already taken by any of the parties involved.

The letter represents FIFA’s clearest formal intervention since the NFF was thrown into uncertainty by the mass departure of its senior leadership.

Gusau announced his resignation on 27 August, saying he was stepping aside to allow a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football. Sanusi also left his position, while the NFF said members of its Executive Committee had resigned. 

The resignations came amid widespread criticism following disappointing results by Nigeria’s national teams, including the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Gusau had been elected NFF president in September 2022 and left office just over a month before the scheduled end of his four-year term. 

An elective congress had been scheduled for 27 September in Lafia, but preparations were subsequently suspended, with the NFF saying a fresh process would begin after proposed reforms carried out in consultation with FIFA and CAF. 

FIFA’s latest correspondence makes clear, however, that the international governing bodies have not yet endorsed any particular reform plan or decided on the eventual structure of the NFF.

It follows a meeting at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on 1 September involving FIFA, CAF, the NFF administration and representatives of Nigeria’s federal government.

FIFA and CAF now say they intend to conduct an assessment mission to Abuja “at the earliest possible opportunity”.

The delegation is expected to hold talks with representatives of the NFF administration, NFF members and the federation’s electoral bodies, as well as officials from the Nigerian government and National Sports Commission.

“The purpose of this mission will be to engage with the relevant stakeholders and gather the information necessary to enable FIFA and CAF to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation,” FIFA said.

Ikpeme has also been asked to serve as the main point of contact between the NFF, FIFA and CAF while the review continues.

He had been appointed to oversee the NFF secretariat following Sanusi’s departure, although FIFA’s letter addresses him using his substantive title of Deputy General Secretary. 

The assessment is significant given FIFA’s longstanding rules requiring national associations to manage their affairs independently and without undue third-party influence.

Nigeria has faced FIFA intervention over football governance before. In 2018, the threat of suspension was lifted after FIFA said the recognised NFF leadership had regained effective control of the federation and its offices. 

For now, FIFA has stopped short of threatening sanctions or prescribing how the present crisis should be resolved.

“Until such time, the outcome of the assessment remains open, and no assumptions should be made as to any action that FIFA and CAF may or may not take,” the letter concluded.