NFF to train Nigerian referees on VAR after 18-year International tournament absence

Board Member of Nigeria Football Federation representing South-South region, Honourable Nse Udofot Essien on the recent exclusion of Nigerian referees from the just concluded African Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast, Soccernet.ng reports.

The last time a Nigerian referee served as the center referee in a Nations Cup game was in 2006, marking 18 years since a Nigerian referee officiated at the tournament, talk more of a global tournament.

Speaking to Soccernet.ng, Desire Noumandiez Doue, Head of Refereeing at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), explained that Nigerian referees were not selected for the 2023 African Cup of Nations roster due to performance concerns.

During a CAF referees training session at the ASEC Mimosas Training Centre in Abidjan, Doue stressed the importance of Nigerian referees enhancing their performance to meet CAF standards.

Addressing concerns about the exclusion of Nigerian football referees, Nse Udofot revealed that the NFF Board, led by Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, is dissatisfied with the situation and is taking steps to ensure Nigerian referees are trained on modern technology.

“On the issue of VAR and advanced technology,” Udofot stated, “the President has promised that our referees are going to be trained on it. Consultations are ongoing with CAF and FIFA to ensure our men are at par with their colleagues in global best practices.”

Looking ahead, Nigerian referees are hopeful for an opportunity to showcase their capabilities at the next AFCON tournament in 2025 and prove their critics wrong.