Samson Adamu confirmed as CAF’s permanent secretary general

Seven months after Veron Mosengo-Omba’s departure, CAF has appointed Samson Adamu as its permanent secretary general, ending a period of interim leadership that began in March.

Adamu, who had been carrying out the role on a temporary basis since 29 March 2026, was confirmed by the organisation led by Patrice Motsepe. His appointment makes him the first Nigerian to hold the position permanently since CAF was established in 1957.

The post became vacant after Mosengo-Omba resigned in March, having spent five years leading CAF’s administration. The Congolese official, who had previously been Gianni Infantino’s right-hand man at FIFA, has since returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he became president of the national federation.

Adamu’s appointment was welcomed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Its interim secretary general, Emmanuel Ikpeme, expressed satisfaction with the decision and confidence in the new CAF secretary general’s ability to carry out the role.

The secretary general is responsible for the day-to-day running of CAF and occupies a central position within its administration. The role includes coordinating the organisation’s activities and ensuring that decisions taken by its governing bodies are implemented.

Experience within African football

Adamu brings extensive experience of CAF’s competitions and operations. Before becoming interim secretary general, he worked as the organisation’s director of competitions and later as director of tournaments and events.

In those positions, he was involved in staging the continent’s major competitions. The work gave him experience of coordinating with national football associations, host countries and CAF’s various partners.

He completed the FIFA Master in 2009, an international programme specialising in sports management. Before joining CAF, Adamu worked in the private sector, including at Kinetic Sport Management, a company involved in organising the Copa Lagos, an international beach soccer competition in Nigeria.

He is also the son of Amos Adamu, a former senior Nigerian sports official and former member of the FIFA Executive Committee.

His confirmation comes at a significant point for CAF. The organisation has recently abandoned its proposal to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, and Adamu will now be responsible for helping to implement its longer-term reforms and ambitions.

Louis Mukoma Fargues