NFF appoints Emmanuel Ikpeme as interim general secretary and suspends its September 27 elective congress as Nigeria begins a comprehensive football reform process.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Emmanuel Ikpeme as its interim general secretary and suspended the electoral process for its September 27 elective congress, as Nigeria begins a broader reform of football administration following last week’s leadership shake-up.
The National Sports Commission (NSC)endorsed Ikpeme, who previously served as the NFF’s deputy general secretary, to oversee the federation’s secretariat during the transition. Ademola Olajire, former NFF director of media and communications, has also been appointed interim deputy general secretary.
The changes came days after Ibrahim Gusau resigned as NFF president and Mohammed Sanusi stepped down as general secretary on August 27, alongside resignations by members of the federation’s Executive Committee.
September Election Suspended
The NFF said all processes initiated towards the elective congress scheduled for September 27 have been suspended.
The federation said the decision was necessary as it prepares for a comprehensive reform process in consultation with the world’s football governing bodies.
“A fresh electoral process will commence following the completion of the anticipated comprehensive reforms, to be undertaken in consultation with world football’s governing body, FIFA, and CAF,” the NFF said.
The federation said the interim arrangement would ensure continuity while discussions with the government, FIFA, CAF and other stakeholders determine the roadmap for the reforms.
“These interim measures are intended to ensure continuity in the administration of Nigerian Football during the transition and pending conclusion of engagements with FIFA, CAF, Government and stakeholders to design a roadmap towards the comprehensive reforms envisaged for Nigeria football,” the federation said.
No new date has been announced for the NFF’s elective congress.
Domestic Leagues Also Restructured
The temporary changes extend to Nigeria’s domestic football competitions.
The NFF has directed the chairmen, appointed directors and chief executive officers of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and Nationwide League One (NLO) to hand over the administration of their respective leagues to their chief operating officers, where a league’s COO is not an NFF staff member, the federation said the interim general secretary would deploy a new COO from within the NFF.
The move places the day-to-day administration of the country’s major leagues under a temporary structure while the reform process gets underway.
How the Crisis Began
The latest transition follows the resignation of Gusau, who stepped down as NFF president on August 27 after nearly four years in office.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Gusau said he had reached the decision after consultations with his family, friends and football stakeholders.
“I just want to tell you that I have decided to resign from my position,” he said.
Gusau also advised other members of the NFF board to follow his example, although he acknowledged that he could not determine whether they would do so. Shortly after his announcement, the NFF confirmed that Sanusi had also resigned as general secretary.
The departures came amid intense criticism of the federation following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the first time Nigeria has missed the women’s tournament since its inception.
Nigeria’s age-grade teams have also experienced qualification setbacks, adding to concerns about the direction of the country’s football administration.
Tinubu Orders Comprehensive Reform
The leadership changes followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football.
Tinubu directed Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission, to work with the NFF secretariat to facilitate a broad and consultative reform process.
The president said the reforms were necessary to address Nigeria’s “repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and world tournaments.”
He also directed that FIFA and CAF be appropriately engaged to ensure the process does not expose Nigeria to sanctions for governmental interference in football administration. The involvement of FIFA and CAF is significant because the international governing bodies generally require national football associations to operate independently from government interference.
What the Reform Could Mean
The reform process is now expected to go beyond replacing the NFF’s leadership.
With the election suspended and the administration of the major domestic leagues temporarily restructured, attention is likely to turn to how Nigerian football is governed, how national teams are managed, how domestic competitions are run and how the country develops players across different age groups.
The process also comes at a critical point for Nigerian football. The Super Eagles will have to rebuild after missing the 2026 World Cup, while the Super Falcons face the consequences of missing their first Women’s World Cup.
For now, Ikpeme is expected to keep the NFF administration functioning while the government and football authorities engage with FIFA, CAF and other stakeholders.
The immediate question is no longer simply who will replace Gusau. It is what the proposed reforms will change, and when Nigerian football will return to a permanent leadership structure.
Until that process is completed, the NFF will remain under an interim arrangement, with its next electoral process dependent on the outcome of the reforms and consultations with FIFA and CAF.
