By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s football crisis deepened on Thursday as Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim Gusau, resigned from office alongside members of the federation’s Executive Committee.
Gusau announced his resignation during a press conference in Abuja, with the decision coming barely a month after the Super Falcons suffered a historic setback in their bid to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
According to the Super Eagles news account on X, Gusau was joined by members of the NFF Executive Committee in stepping down from their positions.
The mass resignation comes after the Super Falcons failed to secure a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup following a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the play-off.
The result marked an unprecedented disappointment for Nigeria, with the Falcons set to miss the tournament for the first time in the country’s history.
Nigeria’s women’s team had also suffered an early setback at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where they were eliminated by Cameroon at the quarter-final stage.
The latest crisis compounds a difficult period for Nigerian football, with the Super Eagles also missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Beyond the teams’ performances, the NFF has faced growing scrutiny over its administration and finances.
The federation has been under pressure over its handling of a reported ₦17bn Federal Government intervention fund released in 2024.
A separate fact-finding committee had also alleged that some NFF board members and officials influenced invitations to national teams for financial benefits.
Gusau’s resignation comes just weeks before the NFF’s elective congress, scheduled to hold on September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
His departure, together with that of other Executive Committee members, is expected to reshape the leadership of Nigerian football as the federation prepares for its next electoral cycle.
