The leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation has deepened following the reported resignation of its President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, barely a month before the federation’s elective congress scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
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Sanusi confirmed the development, saying both he and Gusau had stepped down from their positions.
“Yes, the news about the resignation of the president and myself is true,” Sanusi was quoted as saying.
The resignations have immediately raised questions over the fate of the NFF electoral process, which had already entered a crucial stage ahead of the election of a new Executive Committee for another four-year term.
The NFF had selected Lafia as venue for the 2026 Elective Congress during its Extraordinary General Assembly in Yenagoa in March.
The election was initially scheduled for September 26 but was subsequently shifted by 24 hours to September 27 to allow candidates and other football stakeholders return from Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar on September 25.
Under the previously released electoral timetable, screening of candidates was scheduled for August 27 to 30, with the list of cleared candidates expected on August 31.
The final list was scheduled for publication between September 11 and 12, while campaigning was expected to run from September 14 to 24 before the congress in Lafia.
However, the resignation of the two top officials, coupled with reports that several members of the NFF Executive Committee have also resigned or indicated an intention to leave, has created uncertainty over whether the existing timetable can proceed unchanged.
Some reports put the number of Executive Committee members who have resigned or contemplated leaving at eight out of the 13-member board, while other accounts have claimed a wider departure. The NFF has yet to issue a comprehensive official statement clarifying the exact number of board members affected and the legal implications for the September congress.
The development is particularly significant because the Gusau-led administration approved and has been overseeing preparations for the election that is now only weeks away.
Questions are consequently being raised over who will exercise the federation’s administrative authority pending the congress, whether the electoral machinery remains properly constituted and whether the National Sports Commission could intervene in the unfolding situation.
The leadership shake-up follows weeks of sustained criticism of the NFF over the performances of Nigeria’s national football teams.
The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup had already generated significant pressure on the federation before the Super Falcons subsequently failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria had participated in every edition of the Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.
The Super Falcons were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations following a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon before losing 2-1 to South Africa in the World Cup qualification play-off.
The setbacks prompted the NFF to apologise to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians over the national teams’ results.
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel was among prominent football figures who publicly called for changes in the administration of the sport.
“We want changes in the Nigeria Football Federation because we want to grow our football,” Mikel said, arguing that Nigeria could not continue with the same structure after major qualification failures.
Amid the criticism, the NFF constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate factors behind the national teams’ recent poor performances.
The committee’s report raised concerns over the selection and invitation of players to national-team camps.
It alleged that “some of the Board Members influence the invitation of players to the National Teams locally and internationally.”
The report also alleged that some team coaches and officials could be involved in inviting players “for the purpose of having a source for financial gains.”
A further allegation contained in the report concerned possible incentives being received by some board members, management officials and coaches to influence national-team invitation decisions.
These remain allegations arising from the committee’s findings and do not, by themselves, establish criminal wrongdoing against any particular individual.
Beyond Nigeria’s results on the pitch, the federation has also faced scrutiny over its financial administration.
Security agencies have reportedly been examining the utilisation of about ₦17 billion in Federal Government intervention funds released to the NFF in 2024 for the settlement of outstanding wages, bonuses and other obligations owed to national-team players and officials.
No finding of criminal liability has been established merely by the reported investigation.
The resignations also come against the backdrop of reported disagreements between the NFF leadership and the Shehu Dikko-led National Sports Commission over several administrative and funding issues.
There have been reports that the disagreement affected the release of funds required by the federation for some domestic and international football activities, although the full circumstances surrounding the relationship between both institutions have not been officially detailed.
Only a day before reports of his resignation intensified, Gusau appeared publicly in Abuja during the unveiling of the rebranded Nigeria Premier Football League and a new three-year, $7.5 million title sponsorship deal with EuroMatch.
While answering questions at the event on Wednesday, he said he was not under pressure over the developments surrounding the federation.
Gusau had also been scheduled to address a world press conference at the NFF headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, where the reported resignations, crisis within the Executive Committee and other controversies surrounding Nigerian football were expected to dominate discussions.
A source familiar with the planned briefing suggested that Gusau could make significant disclosures concerning recent developments within the federation.
The resignation now places even greater attention on that briefing, particularly as stakeholders await clarity on the status of the remaining Executive Committee members and the future of the September 27 election.
For Nasarawa State, the development also creates uncertainty around an event that had placed Lafia at the centre of Nigerian football politics.
The state has sought to strengthen its profile as a football destination in recent years through the activities of Nasarawa United and Nasarawa Amazons, as well as investment in sports facilities.
Nasarawa United returned to the Nigeria Premier Football League in 2024 after gaining promotion from the Nigeria National League and subsequently played its home matches at the Lafia City Stadium.
The club, despite an encouraging start to the 2025/26 campaign, eventually finished outside the continental qualification places.
Nasarawa Amazons, however, recorded a major achievement after winning the 2026 President Federation Cup, defeating Heartland Queens on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
The success attracted recognition from the Nasarawa State Government, with Governor Abdullahi Sule presenting buses to Nasarawa Amazons and Nasarawa United while reiterating his administration’s commitment to sports development.
The scheduled NFF congress had therefore represented another opportunity for Lafia to showcase itself as an emerging centre for major sporting events.
Whether that congress will proceed on September 27 as scheduled is now one of the biggest questions arising from the leadership upheaval.
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