By Joseph Odoekwu, KSM

ABUJA, August 27, 2026 — President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has resigned from office, bringing his nearly four-year tenure at the helm of Nigerian football to an end.

Gusau announced his resignation on Thursday during a press conference at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, ending days of speculation over his future. He said the decision followed extensive consultations with his family, associates and key stakeholders in Nigerian football.

The outgoing NFF president disclosed that he had formally informed members of the Executive Committee of his decision and encouraged them to review their respective positions. He, however, stressed that the decision to remain in office or resign rests with each individual member.

Gusau Reflects on Tenure

Reflecting on his three years and eleven months in office, Gusau said his administration had made significant progress despite the challenges it faced.

“These three years and eleven months were not without purpose. We have tangible achievements to present to Nigerians and to the global football community for the opportunity we were given,” he said.

Gusau identified the revival of coaching education as one of his administration’s key achievements, saying coaching courses across several categories were conducted during his tenure.

He also announced that a CAF A Licence course, which he said had not been held in Nigeria for eight years, is scheduled to begin on September 16, with preparations already completed.

The outgoing president also pointed to what he described as improved stability in Nigeria’s domestic leagues, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

According to Gusau, his administration worked to restore predictability to the domestic football calendar, reducing the postponements and uncertainty that had previously affected the league.

“The days when no one could confidently state the league’s start or end dates are behind us,” he said.

He added that reforms had contributed to increased competitiveness in the NPFL, pointing to a title race that remained undecided until the final matchday last season.

On refereeing, Gusau said Nigerian match officials were gradually regaining prominence on the continental stage, citing appointments to semifinal matches at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Infrastructure and Sponsorship

Gusau also provided an update on the NFF’s infrastructure development programme, saying a facility project launched in March 2024 was progressing according to schedule, with one phase already completed.

He said the entire project is expected to be completed by March 2027.

Addressing the federation’s financial challenges, Gusau attributed some of the pressure to the depreciation of the naira, saying it had significantly reduced the real value of existing sponsorship agreements while the cost of running national teams and participating in international competitions continued to rise.

He cited the federation’s expiring Nike agreement, which he said provided $500,000 annually in cash and approximately $1 million worth of kits.

According to Gusau, attempts to negotiate improved terms in 2024 were unsuccessful, after which Nike waived its right of first refusal, allowing the federation to pursue a new agreement.

Gusau announced that the NFF had subsequently signed a sponsorship agreement with Adidas, which he said is worth $4.5 million annually in cash, $4 million in kits and a 20 per cent royalty on retail sales.

He described the agreement as the most lucrative kit sponsorship deal in African football.

Gusau added that Adidas currently operates 13 retail outlets in Nigeria and plans to increase the number to 32 within two years.

According to him, the additional revenue would strengthen the NFF’s ability to recruit top-level coaches for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons, maintain football facilities and invest in youth development.

He said the agreement had already been executed and was initially scheduled to be formally unveiled in September.

Focus Turns to NFF Succession

On the performance of Nigeria’s national teams, Gusau cited the Super Eagles’ silver-medal finish at the Africa Cup of Nations as one of the highlights of his tenure, while acknowledging disappointments recorded by other national sides.

Attention will now turn to the NFF’s statutory provisions governing succession and the administration of the federation following the resignation of its sitting president.

With an NFF Congress scheduled for September 16, Gusau’s departure is expected to prompt wider discussions over the future leadership of the federation and the positions of other members of the Executive Committee.