Is NFF’s Leadership The Problem Of Nigerian Football ?

Nigeria has never lacked football talent. From the Super Eagles golden generation to the dominance of the Super Falcons, this country has consistently produced players capable of competing at the highest level. Yet, consistently, the question is no longer whether Nigeria has the talent, but whether the system managing that talent is capable of turning it into consistent success. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the body responsible for administrating football in the country currently led by President Ibrahim Gusau, with Felix Anyansi-Agwu as First Vice President, Gbenga Elegbeleye as Second Vice President and Mohammed Sanusi as General Secretary, they are the top officials of the administration. With Nigeria having failed to qualify for the last two men’s World Cup after making Russia 2018 under the administration of former NFF president Amaju Pinnick, and the Super Falcons recently suffering a disappointing WAFCON exit, it is reasonable to ask whether something about the way Nigerian football is being managed is contributing to the country’s inconsistent output.

Nigeria Football Federation Chairman Ibrahim Musa Gusau

The concern becomes even more compelling when we look beyond the scoreline to examine the federation’s record. Nigerian national teams have repeatedly been involved in disputes over unpaid bonuses and allowances, training conditions, travel arrangements, coaching contracts and preparation. The Super Falcons former coach, Randy Waldrum, publicly clashed with the NFF over issues surrounding the team’s welfare and preparation, including questions over a reported $960,000 FIFA preparation grant ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Despite those problems, the Falcons still reached the Round of 16 at that tournament, demonstrating just how much talent exists within the team. But talent shouldn’t have to make up for administrative shortcomings.  A professional football federation should create an environment where players and coaches can focus on winning, rather than constantly battling over basic welfare. Is that the case in Nigeria?

Super Eagles players training

The men’s national team presents an equally distasteful picture. Nigeria last qualified for a men’s World Cup in 2018, when Pinnick was NFF president and Gernot Rohr was coach. Nigeria subsequently missed Qatar 2022 under Pinnick, losing to Ghana on the away goals rule, and then failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament under Gusau. Two different administrations therefore share responsibility for two consecutive failures, making it difficult to blame one individual or one coach. I believe the deeper issue may be the system itself, frequent coaching changes, inconsistent preparation, administrative disputes and questions surrounding the federation’s management of football resources can create an environment where expectations remain enormous but the structures supporting success remain inadequate.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in action against Australia ahead U20 World Cup in Chile

The concerns are not limited to the country’s two senior national teams. The NFF oversees a wider football structure that includes the Flying Eagles (U-20), Golden Eaglets (U-17), Falconets (U-20 women), Flamingos (U-17 women), Olympic teams, Beach Soccer national team and the domestic league system. Recent setbacks, including the Flying Eagles 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in the WAFU Zone B U-20 final, which saw them miss out on qualification for the 2027 U-20 AFCON, raise questions about whether poor preparation and administration are affecting Nigeria’s teams. The same concerns extend to the domestic game. While the NPFL(Nigeria Premier Football League)has seen improvements in broadcasting, prize money and commercial investment, many clubs still lack quality pitches, training facilities and other basic infrastructure needed for a truly professional league. If the NFF is responsible for developing Nigerian football at every level, then these shortcomings cannot be ignored. Nigeria continues to produce talented players through its youth teams and domestic league, but without better facilities, consistent preparation and a clear path from youth football to the senior teams, the country risks wasting the very talent it is known for. When these problems appear across different teams and levels of the game, it becomes increasingly difficult to view them as isolated failures rather than signs of a system that needs significant improvement.

Perhaps the biggest question is therefore who actually controls Nigerian football and how they are chosen. The NFF president is not elected by Nigerian football fans or even directly by all professional clubs. The election is decided by the NFF Congress, whose current structure gives 37 of its 44 voting positions to representatives of the 36 states and the FCT. Critics, including former Super Eagles captain Segun Odegbami, argue that this concentration of power gives state football association chairmen unfair influence and makes meaningful competition difficult. Gusau is seeking another four-year term, and his candidacy has already received backing from several major FA blocs, including the North-West bloc comprising Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa and Zamfara, the South-West bloc representing the six South-West states, and the North-Central bloc, whose chairmen reportedly pledged to jointly purchase his nomination form. Reports have also cited support from the North-East and South-East blocs. These endorsements have grown criticism that the September 27 election in Lafia could resemble a coronation rather than a genuinely competitive contest. The NFF, however, maintains that its electoral process is governed by its statutes and Electoral Code and is overseen by an Electoral Committee and Appeals Committee.

Super Falcons training in camp

This does not automatically mean that changing the NFF leadership will suddenly make Nigeria win trophies or qualify for every World Cup. Football outcomes are determined by players, coaches, opponents, injuries, tactics and countless factors outside an administrator’s control. But good administration creates the conditions in which those factors can work in a team’s favour. I believe Nigeria needs a federation that can provide timely preparation, transparent financial management, professional coaching structures, reliable player welfare, and long-term development rather than constantly reacting to crises. If Gusau wins another term, he should be judged not merely by promises but by whether his administration can address these structural concerns. If a new leadership emerges, it must be more than a change of names; it must represent a change in the way Nigerian football is organized.

Awobajo Soliat

Written by Boom RadioNG