FIFA is set to play a significant role in determining the composition of a proposed NormalisationCommittee that could temporarily take charge of Nigerian football following the resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board.
The development emerged from Tuesday’s meeting in Zurich between a Nigerian delegation led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko and FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his team.
The Nigerian delegation reportedly presented FIFA with the proposal for a NormalisationCommittee as part of a broader plan to restructure the administration of football in the country and organise fresh elections for the NFF.
Although FIFA welcomed the delegation and described the discussions as fruitful, the world football governing body stopped short of giving immediate approval to the proposed arrangement.
Sources said FIFA’s final position would depend partly on a planned visit by its delegation to Nigeria, after which further discussions on the reform process are expected.
FIFA is also expected to have substantial input into the selection of members of the proposed committee. Individuals considered for the assignment will reportedly be subjected to mandatory integrity and eligibility checks similar to those required of executive committee members of FIFA-affiliated football associations.
The proposed committee became necessary after the mass resignation of the Ibrahim Musa Gusau-led NFF board created a leadership vacuum.
Its tenure, however, remains uncertain. While initial expectations suggested that the committee could operate for about three months, sources familiar with the discussions said the arrangement could last between six months and one year.
The longer timeframe is being considered to allow the NSC to implement what has been described as a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football before a new NFF board is elected.
The reform process followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive after the resignation of Gusau and other members of the NFF leadership. The President reportedly regarded the deteriorating condition of Nigerian football’s administration and performance as serious enough to warrant a national response.
The NSC, which supervises the activities of the NFF, subsequently began exploring mechanisms for implementing the directive, including the establishment of a body that could oversee the transition and organise a new electoral process.
Tuesday’s meeting in Zurich was therefore aimed at securing FIFA’s cooperation and ensuring that the proposed reforms comply with the governing body’s statutes and regulations.
Among those being considered to lead the Normalisation Committee is AbdulHakeem UthmanMustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who is reportedly the preferred candidate of several influential figures within the Presidency.
Mustapha’s profile also includes membership of FIFA’s Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Committee, a position that has given him direct exposure to FIFA’s structures and administrative processes.
With FIFA expected to participate in the selection and vetting of committee members, the next stage of the reform process will depend on further consultations between the Nigerian authorities and the global football body.
The FIFA delegation’s proposed visit to Nigeria is expected to provide another opportunity to assess the reform plans before a final decision is reached on the Normalisation Committee.
