Ibrahim Gusau: Three years on the saddle as NFF boss

By Jude Opara, Abuja

Since the emergence of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on 30th September 2022, there has been mixed feelings concerning the fortunes of Nigerian football under his watch.

While some analysts and stakeholders believe he has done well so far, there are also those who think he should be exiting the Sunday Dankaro House without further delay. Most of his adversaries are angry because of the shaky run of the Super eagles in the qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To compound his predicaments, Nigeria also lost out of the last world cup and the possibility of a back-to –back absence is difficult for some fans to bear. That is understandable!

However, without prejudice to anyone’s expectations, Gusau on arrival quietly introduced a system of administration that has not only encouraged peace and tranquility, but also brought reforms and initiatives that have impacted positively on the grassroots development of football.

Due to his humble disposition, the Nigerian football family has been running effectively without the unnecessary quarrels and conflicts that used to characterize the administration of football in the country. This peaceful disposition has also had a positive multiplier effect in the fortunes of the national teams.

It is safe to conclude that in the past three years, there has been massive investment in infrastructure, grassroots revitalization and the boosting of the various domestic leagues.

Early in his administration, Ibrahim Gusau made it clear that he strongly believes that the strength of the national teams must be from the grassroots; hence his intentional moves strengthen the leagues, encourages inter-schools championships as well as in the local governments.

Women football has not been left out with increased encouragement and interest in women’s tournaments at various levels. For instance, in many states, the FAs have been encouraged to organize Women’s Inter-Area Councils Football Tournaments. This has remained one of the staying powers of the various national teams that have continued to rule the continent.

So far, the NFF under Gusau has streamlined the Nigerian league to run in tandem with the international calendar, as approved by world football governing body, FIFA. Before now, there used to be a conflict of interest whenever professional football players were expected to go and represent their countries.

Due to the reorganization in the leagues, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) for instance is gradually departing from the ugly past where hooliganism and ‘win at home syndrome’ were the order of the day. Today teams are gladly recording away victories without anybody molesting them.

Today there is clear accountability in the management of finances of the federation. The usual and avoidable scandals have seized as issues of salaries and welfare of players and coaches are addressed as at when due seamlessly.

This is a sharp from the norm in the recent past when the federation was always having issues with the allowances and bonuses of players; which usually brought untold embarrassment to the country when Super Eagles players will insist in getting their arrears before playing international matches.

The national teams have been adequately motivated to hold their own in international engagements. The Super Falcons recently made history when they won the African Women Championship for a record 10th time, to seal their overwhelming dominance in the championship.

Technically, the Super eagles have not also done too badly, irrespective of the outcome of the ongoing qualifications for the 2026 FIFA world cup. The team was the runners-up at the 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), after narrowly losing to host nation, Ivory Coast.

Gusau has emerged as the President of WAFU Zone B; his election after several years underscores Nigeria’s rising influence in the politics of West Africa’s football. This is a huge plus because it places him at the peak of the region’s football management, with the attendant benefits of contributing in shaping regional tournaments, refereeing issues, youth championships and fraternity between and among football stakeholders in the region.

Strategically, the position of the NFF boss is also an added advantage to Nigeria because she now has a voice in policy formulation, organization and funding of the regional body. This role can help Nigerian referees, clubs, and national teams benefit from developmental activities of the Zone B, as well as serve as a stepping stone in getting attention from the parent body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Perhaps, the greatest thing for which Gusau would be remembered several years after leaving office may be the construction of the FIFA hostel which is expected to serve as a quality accommodation for all the national teams whenever they have any international engagement.

The 68- room edifice which also has suites and several meeting halls is part of a larger project to provide top-tier training facilities and reduce camping costs for the national teams. It also has two training pitches—one grass and the other synthetic.

The structure which was started in March, 2025 has reached advanced stage and is strategically located at the MKO Abiola International stadium in Abuja.

However, despite the efforts of the Gusau led NFF to reposition the football administration in the country, there are still a lot more that needs to be done. It is expected that within the remaining one year, he should expedite action in putting finishing touches to most of his programs.

In no particular order, some of the areas that may still need further intervention include:

The League: Most of the NPFL clubs still lack basic facilities like stadia and training pitches; they have poor and outdated management systems, poor financial base, little or no media coverage, poor licensing method and lack of marketing skills and departments.

While I agree that it is the NFF that should provide these facilities for the clubs, they can use administrative powers to enforce the provision of these essentialities, so that our league can run like what we witness in other parts of the world.

Referees: the referees are very crucial components of any virile league. There training and welfare must be premium. It is on record that one of the factors that enhance match-fixing is the poor allowances the referees receive. In addition, technology has come to stay in international football; the NFF should equally look seriously towards that.

The MKO Abiola stadium: the state of the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja is embarrassing, to say the least. While I accept that the NFF doesn’t have the muscle to tackle that ‘monster’, the federation should charge the national Sports Commission (NSC) to find a way of fixing that national edifice, if not for anything, but for the honour and integrity of the country.

It is a shame that the former Minister, Sunday Dare after securing $1 million dollars grant from Aliko Dangote to fix that pitch, did a very poor job which saw its collapse almost immediately after the barrow pushing local contractor he gave the job to delivered it to him.

The Media: all over the world, after the athletes, the next most important group in any sporting arena is the media. While the NFF has a media department, the fact remains that it cannot effectively project the activities of the federation; therefore the NFF must continue to find a way to work the local media to project their activities.

Players’ hostel: Gusau should ensure that he delivers the FIFA sponsored hostel in record time. Every kobo earmarked for it should be so invested because this will be the icing on the cake of his achievements in office.

Sponsorships and Finance: There is no end in the number of sponsorships a thriving organization like the NFF should engage with, therefore more efforts should be put in place to attract more of such because the little that comes from the federation account cannot be enough to run football effectively. The Federation should consider broadcast rights, merchandise and outsourcing.

All said and done, the Ibrahim Musa Gusau’s led Executive Committee has so far done well in the management of the beautiful game in the country. They should be encouraged to midwife and see through the reforms they have introduced in the running of the federation.

Finally, while we urge the NFF to ensure that the Super eagles qualifies for the 2026 world cup, we must not forget that the Gusau board has effectively provided all the players needed to excel. We must hope that the lifeline of the sanctioning of South Africa is a chance the Super Eagles must grab with two hands.