BREAKING: NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, Eight Board Members Resign Amid Crisis

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, and several members of the federation’s executive committee have resigned amid mounting pressure over the management of Nigerian football.

The development follows a string of setbacks for the country’s national teams, including the historic failure of the Super Falcons to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Vanguard reports that the NFF leadership had also come under scrutiny from security agencies over the management of funds released by the Federal Government for the national teams.

The Department of State Services, DSS, is reportedly investigating the utilisation of the N17 billion intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to settle outstanding wages and bonuses owed to national team players.

A source cited by Vanguard said the DSS had requested documents relating to the fund’s utilisation, describing the process as part of a routine investigation rather than a witch-hunt.

The financial scrutiny comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over the performance and administration of Nigeria’s football teams. The Super Eagles have missed consecutive FIFA World Cups, while the Super Falcons suffered an unprecedented failure to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the women’s tournament were dealt a major blow after the Super Falcons lost 2-1 to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the World Cup qualification playoff. The result ended Nigeria’s record of appearing at every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.

The pressure on the NFF board reportedly intensified following the resignation of more than half of its members. As many as eight of the 13 board members are alleged to have stepped down, raising fresh uncertainty over the federation’s leadership and the scheduled September 27 elections in Lafia, Nasarawa State.