Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau has resigned, just weeks before the federation’s scheduled elections.
Gusau announced his decision at a press conference at the NFF headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, saying he had also advised members of his board to step down.
“I can confirm to you that I have decided to resign from my position as NFF President. I also advised my board members to follow me and also resign,” Gusau said.
His resignation comes amid increasing scrutiny of the NFF’s management of an £8.5m ($11m) Federal Government intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024.
The money was intended to settle outstanding wages and bonuses owed to Nigeria’s national teams.
Gusau’s departure also follows a difficult period for Nigerian football, with both the men’s and women’s senior national teams failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Super Falcons suffered a particularly significant setback after missing out on the tournament for the first time in their history.
Nigeria had appeared at every Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991, but a series of defeats left them outside the automatic qualification places before they were eliminated in the playoffs.
Gusau was elected NFF president at the federation’s 78th Elective Congress in September 2022.
His resignation comes shortly before the end of his tenure and could raise questions about the federation’s planned electoral process.
The NFF elections are currently scheduled for 27 September in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Gusau said he had chosen to step aside to allow other Nigerians to contribute to the development of football in the country.
He also defended his record, insisting that he was leaving the federation in a stronger position than when he took office, despite the failure of the men’s and women’s teams to reach the World Cups.
Gusau said he had advised members of his board to resign alongside him, although he was not aware of any board member who had done so at the time of his announcement.
The NFF is yet to announce arrangements for interim leadership following Gusau’s resignation.
