The crisis engulfing Nigerian football has deepened with the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau and several members of the federation’s board.
The development follows mounting pressure on the NFF over the management of the country’s national teams and growing scrutiny of its handling of funds released by the Federal Government.
Security agencies have been examining the federation’s finances, particularly the utilisation of a N17 billion intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to settle outstanding wages and bonuses owed to players representing Nigeria.
An authoritative source said the Department of State Services (DSS) had requested documentation showing how the funds were utilised by NFF officials.
“It’s a normal thing for DSS to go through all documents relating to the funds released them,” the source said, dismissing suggestions that the investigation amounted to a witch hunt.
The financial scrutiny comes against the backdrop of a series of disappointing results for Nigeria’s national teams.
The most significant setback was the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Nigeria had participated in every edition of the Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.
The Falcons’ qualification hopes suffered a major blow after they lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Their subsequent World Cup qualification playoff campaign ended in further disappointment when South Africa defeated Nigeria 2-1.
The Super Eagles have also endured their own struggles, having missed consecutive editions of the men’s FIFA World Cup.
Amid the mounting criticism, pressure reportedly intensified on Gusau and the NFF executive committee to step aside. More than half of the board’s 13 members are alleged to have resigned, with eight members reportedly quitting their positions.
The mass departures could create further uncertainty for the federation, particularly with elections into the NFF board scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The resignations therefore come at a critical moment for Nigerian football, as the federation faces questions over its finances, administration and the declining fortunes of the country’s national teams.
With the NFF board weakened by the latest departures, attention will now turn to how the federation manages the leadership vacuum and whether the scheduled elections will proceed as planned.
