The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, and other members of the federation’s executive board have resigned from their positions amid mounting pressure over the management of Nigerian football. The development comes after a series of disappointing results and administrative controversies that have intensified scrutiny on the country’s football governing body.
The NFF board had come under intense pressure following what has been described as the poor management of Nigerian football. The latest setback was the failure of the Super Falcons to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the history of the competition, adding to growing concerns about the direction of the national teams.
Vanguard reports that the NFF board had also been badgered by security agents as the federation came under scrutiny over the management of funds released by the Federal Government for the country’s national football teams. The investigation has added another layer of pressure on an administration already facing criticism over its handling of Nigerian football.
The Department of State Services, DSS, has joined other security agencies in investigating the NFF over the utilisation of the N17 billion Federal Government intervention fund released to the federation for players’ wages and bonuses. The fund was approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to clear outstanding payments owed to Nigeria’s national teams.
An authoritative source informed Vanguard on Monday that the DSS had turned its attention to NFF officials and was seeking documentation showing how the substantial amount released to the Glass House was utilised.
“It’s a normal thing for DSS to go through all documents relating to the funds released to them,” the source said, while dismissing fears that the investigation amounted to a witch hunt or an attempt to hound officials.
The latest probe comes against the backdrop of persistent public concerns over the administration of Nigeria’s national football teams, which have suffered what has been described as a severe systemic decline. The Super Eagles have missed consecutive FIFA World Cups, while the Super Falcons have now suffered the historic setback of failing to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Super Falcons’ qualification failure followed their 1 0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON. The defeat ended Nigeria’s title defence and meant the team missed out on automatic qualification for the Women’s World Cup, leaving them with a playoff route involving South Africa.
That playoff route ultimately ended in another disappointment as South Africa’s Banyana Banyana defeated the Super Falcons 2 1 in the Women’s World Cup qualification playoff. The result confirmed Nigeria’s absence from a tournament in which the country had previously featured at every edition since the Women’s World Cup began in 1991.
The failure was therefore historic, as Nigeria had never previously missed a FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Super Falcons had been the only African team to participate in every edition of the tournament before the latest qualification setback brought that remarkable record to an end.
Amid the series of setbacks, pressure had been building on the NFF executive committee led by Ibrahim Gusau. The board faced increasing demands to resign following the failures of the national teams and the resignation of more than half of its members.
According to the report, eight of the 13 members of the NFF board had allegedly quit their positions. The resignation of Gusau and other board members now represents another major development in the administration of Nigerian football and could have significant consequences for the federation’s leadership structure.
The crisis could also affect the scheduled NFF elections. The election into the board of the Nigeria Football Federation is currently slated to take place on September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa. With several members already having resigned and the president now stepping down, the developments could potentially disrupt the planned electoral process.
The resignation comes at a critical moment for Nigerian football, with the country’s national teams facing significant challenges both on and off the pitch. While the Super Eagles continue to deal with the consequences of missing major tournaments, the Super Falcons’ historic failure to qualify for the Women’s World Cup has further intensified calls for changes in the administration of the sport.
The ongoing DSS investigation into the N17 billion intervention fund also places additional pressure on the federation, as officials are expected to account for how the funds allocated for players’ wages and bonuses were utilised.
With Ibrahim Gusau and several other board members now out of office, Nigerian football enters another period of uncertainty. The immediate focus will be on how the NFF responds to the leadership vacuum, what happens to the September 27 election, and whether the latest developments will lead to wider changes in the administration of football in the country.
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