NFF: ‘Disregard ‘fake’ FIFA letter threatening to ban Nigeria’

Nigeria’s efforts to reform and reposition its football administration received a major boost yesterday as world football governing body, FIFA, has expressed support for the ongoing normalisation committee process aimed at restoring credibility, transparency and stability to the game.

The development followed a meeting between FIFA and a Nigerian delegation in which recent developments within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the proposed roadmap for football reforms were discussed.

Nigeria was represented at the meeting by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko, Director General Bukola Olopade, acting NFF General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme and NFF’s Director, Legal Affairs, Okey Obi.

The Nigerian delegation briefed FIFA on the latest developments in the NFF, particularly the mass resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the NFF Executive Committee.

The talks also centred on the proposed roadmap for reforming Nigerian football, with emphasis on ensuring that the process is undertaken in consultation with FIFA and other relevant stakeholders in the football community.

At the meeting inside FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland attended by FIFA, CAF, CAF advisors, NSC and NFF Administration, it was agreed to proceed with engagements and interactions to fine-tune a roadmap that will ensure the delivery of the expected reforms both in the short, medium and long term, and to ensure that an inclusive new NFF emerges going forward and with the enabling environment, peaceful and stable to be in position to deliver success both on and off the pitch for the benefit and growth of Nigeria Football.

Also at the meeting was former NFF President and ex-FIFA Council Member Amaju Pinnick (who attended the meeting in his official capacity as Special Advisor to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Men’s National Teams’ Competitions Committee.

Speaking at the meeting, Dikko said: “Mutual engagement among the National Sports Commission, the NFF administration and the Confederation of African Football is ongoing with FIFA on the comprehensive reforms of Nigeria football, including agreeing a roadmap going forward in accordance with the relevant rules, regulations and Statutes, and indeed there is no doubt Nigeria Football will emerge much better and properly-structured after the conclusion of this process.”

FIFA’s backing is being viewed as an important development for Nigeria, where calls for fundamental changes in football administration have intensified amid concerns over the credibility and effectiveness of the existing structure.

The normalisation committee process is expected to provide a framework for addressing some of the longstanding administrative challenges confronting Nigerian football and setting the game on a more transparent and accountable path.

With FIFA now backing the process, attention is expected to shift towards how the proposed reforms will be implemented and whether they will deliver the fundamental changes being demanded by stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the NFF, yesterday, described as fake a letter purportedly written to Nigeria by world football governing body FIFA threatening to sanction the country over an alleged government interference on football matters.

The letter dated September 1, 2026, with the reference “NIG-GOV-INT-2026” and addressed to the NFF President and the Chairman of the National Sports Commission claimed that FIFA was concerned about reports surrounding the resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and alleged government involvement in the development.

It cited FIFA Statutes on the autonomy of member associations and gave Nigerian authorities seven days to provide clarification on the circumstances surrounding Gusau’s reported resignation.

The letter warned that failure to provide satisfactory clarification could lead to the suspension of Nigeria from FIFA and CAF competitions and the appointment of a FIFA/CAF Normalisation Committee.

But in its reaction to the development, the NFF described the letter as “totally fake,” saying that “FIFA has already accepted the resignations of former principal officers and Members of the NFF Exco and a mutual engagement between the NSC, NFF administration, CAF is ongoing with FIFA on the comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football, including agreeing a road map going forward in accordance to the relevant rules books and statutes.”

Corroborating NFF stance on the issue, a senior FIFA official said that FIFA will only come out with a release on the issue, if any, after the discussions with relevant Nigerian authorities. “So, disregard the letter as it did not emanate from FIFA.”

Since the erstwhile president of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau and members of his executive committee resigned their positions last week, there have been moves by so many interest groups to position themselves for consideration in the new governing body. But The Guardian learnt, yesterday, that the presidency has given the National Sports Commission (NSC) strict instruction to ensure a complete overhaul of the football architecture before any election is held to occupy the vacant positions.

It is understood that one of the new developments in the envisagd electoral process is the beginning of the polls from the local council level to state and national offices.

The existing process allows the congress to elect the president and national executive committee before the state FA elections.