BREAKING NEWS: Nigeria FA president Ibrahim Gusau resigns as board exits amid crisis

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau has resigned along with other board members, bringing an abrupt end to an administration that had faced mounting criticism over the governance of the country’s football.

The resignations follow months of pressure over the NFF’s handling of the sport, with the latest blow coming after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.

The board has also been under scrutiny over the management of a $N17\text{bn}$N17bn (£8.5m/$11m) Federal Government intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to clear outstanding wages and bonuses owed to Nigeria’s national teams.

According to reports, the Department of State Services (DSS) is among the security agencies investigating how the money was used.

A source familiar with the inquiry described it as a routine review of documents relating to the funds, dismissing suggestions that officials were being targeted unfairly.

Super Falcons’ historic setback

The investigation comes against the backdrop of growing public frustration over the fortunes of Nigeria’s national teams.

The Super Eagles have missed consecutive FIFA World Cups, while the Super Falcons’ failure to reach the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil has intensified calls for change.

Nigeria’s women’s team, which had appeared at every Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991, saw that record end after a series of defeats that left them outside the automatic qualification places before they were eliminated in the playoffs.

Board crisis deepens

Pressure on Gusau’s leadership had intensified in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that eight of the NFF’s 13 board members had already stepped down.

The mass resignations now cast doubt over the federation’s planned elections, which are scheduled for 27 September in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

The NFF has yet to announce an interim leadership arrangement following the board’s departure.