President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football following the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and other members of the federation’s leadership.

Tinubu said the reform would address longstanding weaknesses in football governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability, following repeated failures by Nigeria’s national teams to qualify for major tournaments.

Gusau resigned on Thursday after mounting criticism over the poor performance of Nigeria’s national teams, including the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to reach the 2027 Women’s World Cup. NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee also resigned.

Following the resignations, the National Sports Commission has endorsed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, the former Deputy General Secretary, to oversee the NFF Secretariat as interim General Secretary. However, a permanent replacement for Gusau as NFF president has not yet been appointed. Reports indicate that an interim or FIFA-backed normalisation arrangement is being considered, while names including Kunle Soname and Segun Odegbami have emerged in discussions over future leadership.

Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and football stakeholders on the reform process, including appropriate consultations with FIFA and CAF.

The President urged stakeholders to support the transition and build a stronger, more accountable football system capable of matching Nigeria’s vast football talent and resources with sustained success.