The National Sports Commission (NSC) has cancelled the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) electoral congress scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, paving the way for a reorganisation of the country’s football governing body.
The decision, reported on Monday, means the planned election to determine the next leadership of the NFF will no longer proceed on the previously announced date.
The NSC is also expected to establish a three-month normalisation committee to oversee the affairs of the federation and prepare the ground for a fresh electoral process. However, the composition and head of the proposed committee had not been publicly confirmed as of Monday.
The move represents a setback for the Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF executive, whose tenure was due to be tested in the September election as the leadership sought another term.
The proposed intervention follows renewed pressure for changes in the administration of Nigerian football after a series of setbacks involving the country’s national teams. The most recent came with the Super Falcons’ failure to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after losing to South Africa in the African play-off.
The development also follows earlier calls from some football stakeholders for the NFF electoral process to be suspended and reforms carried out before another election is held.
They reported that the NSC had sought engagement with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the planned intervention, given the governing bodies’ rules concerning government involvement in national football associations.
For now, the immediate task is expected to be the formation of the normalisation committee, which would oversee the federation during the transition and address issues surrounding the electoral process before a new NFF election is conducted.
The cancellation of the September 27 congress therefore leaves the future structure and leadership of the NFF open, with further details expected from the National Sports Commission on the proposed reorganisation.
