FIFA and CAF Suspend NFF Elections as Nigeria Football Faces Governance Review

Nigeria’s football leadership crisis has now reached FIFA and CAF.

The two governing bodies have ordered the Nigeria Football Federation’s electoral process to remain on hold while they examine the legal, governance, administrative and electoral issues surrounding the federation’s recent leadership upheaval.

The directive was contained in a September 7 letter from FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov to NFF Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme.

It means the NFF cannot take further steps towards its planned September 27 Elective Congress in Lafia, Nasarawa State, until the assessment is completed.

How the NFF got here

The crisis deepened after NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau resigned on August 27, followed by General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s Executive Committee.

The departures came after a difficult period for Nigerian football. The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons missed qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

The NFF subsequently suspended preparations for its election and began considering reforms to its administration.

Now FIFA and CAF have stepped in formally.

The two bodies said their review would examine the circumstances surrounding the resignations, the NFF’s rules and the different positions presented by stakeholders. They have also made clear that they have not reached a final conclusion.

That distinction matters because the latest move is an assessment, not yet a ruling against the NFF.

FIFA and CAF are coming to Abuja

The next major step will be a joint FIFA-CAF mission to Abuja.

The delegation is expected to meet representatives of the NFF administration, members of the federation, its electoral bodies and officials of the Federal Government and National Sports Commission.

Ikpeme has been asked to act as the main contact between the NFF, FIFA and CAF during the process.

The mission follows a September 1 meeting at FIFA House in Zurich involving representatives of FIFA, CAF, the NFF and the Nigerian government.

FIFA and CAF said they want to gather information from the different sides before deciding if any recommendations should go before their respective decision-making bodies.

No FIFA ban has been announced

There has already been speculation about what FIFA might do next.

But the governing body has specifically warned against jumping ahead of the assessment.

There is no announced FIFA ban on Nigeria and no decision to install a normalisation committee at this stage.

The September 7 directive simply keeps the election frozen while FIFA and CAF examine the situation.

That leaves the future of the September 27 congress uncertain.

The crisis goes beyond the election

The leadership dispute is unfolding alongside wider concerns about Nigerian football.

The poor results of the national teams have intensified pressure on the NFF, while the Federal Government has called for reforms covering governance, administration, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.

There are also financial questions surrounding the federation, including investigations into the use of government funds meant for players’ wages, bonuses and allowances.

But FIFA and CAF have not said that those investigations are the reason for suspending the election.

For now, their focus is on understanding how the NFF reached its current position and what its rules allow after the mass resignations.

That leaves Nigerian football in an unusual position: an election that was supposed to produce new leadership is now itself part of the crisis being examined.

The outcome of the Abuja mission could determine what happens next — and whether Nigeria’s football administration proceeds with an election, undergoes deeper reforms, or takes another route entirely.