Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has resigned from office, along with General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s Executive Committee, according to reports. The development, which emerged in the early hours of Thursday, marks the first resignation of an NFF leadership in the history of Nigerian football administration.
A top National Sports Commission (NSC) official confirmed the resignations to journalist Colin Udoh, describing the move as the first step in a broader restructuring of the NFF. Dr. Sanusi also confirmed the report, telling Daily Sun, “Yes, the news about the resignation of the president and myself is true.”
The resignations come weeks ahead of the NFF’s elective congress, scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State. Gusau is expected to address the media at a world press conference at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, where he will provide further clarity on his decision and the future of the federation’s Executive Committee.
Gusau’s administration faced mounting pressure in recent months following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup through both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons. The federation also apologized to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians over the setbacks before setting up a fact-finding committee, led by former NFF General Secretary Fanny Amun, to investigate the causes.
The Golden Eaglets added to the federation’s troubles this year, missing out on the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup after losing to Ghana in the WAFU B semi-final. The defeat marked the second consecutive edition of the U17 AFCON that Nigeria failed to qualify for, despite the team’s five FIFA U17 World Cup titles.
The NFF’s leadership had also clashed with the Shehu Dikko-led National Sports Commission over funding, a dispute that reportedly left the federation short of resources to prosecute national and international tournaments. That standoff added to the pressure on Gusau’s administration in the buildup to Thursday’s resignations.
Before Thursday, Gusau had dismissed reports suggesting he was preparing to step down. He had also stated, while fielding questions from journalists during the unveiling of the Nigerian Premier Football League on Wednesday, that he was not under any form of pressure.
Gusau’s resignation ends weeks of speculation over his position and sets the stage for a new NFF leadership structure ahead of September’s elective congress.
The NFF is set to hold a press conference later today to confirm the resignations.
