NFF given 24 hours to resign after Super Eagles, Super Falcons failures

A fresh crisis has hit the Nigeria Football Federation after claims surfaced that the Federal Government has given the Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF board 24 hours to resign, Soccernet.ng reports.

An Arise News report has made the revelation that the government issued the deadline after the Super Falcons' disappointing 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The report comes as pressure grows on Gusau and his board after a series of failures across Nigeria's senior and youth national teams.

NFF: A run of failures across Nigeria's national teams

The Super Eagles suffered the most damaging setback first. Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finishing second in Group C behind South Africa. The Eagles had chances to change the race but dropped points in key matches, including a 1-1 home draw with Zimbabwe in Uyo.

Nigeria finished on 17 points, one behind South Africa. The team then beat Gabon 4-1 after extra time in the African play-off semi-final in Rabat, but lost the final to DR Congo on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Timothy Fayulu saved two penalties as Nigeria lost 4-3 in the shoot-out.

That failure meant Nigeria missed the 2026 World Cup for a second straight edition. The NFF later filed a complaint to FIFA over DR Congo's player eligibility, but that move did not change Nigeria's place in the competition.

The Super Falcons then suffered another major blow in Morocco. Nigeria entered the 2026 WAFCON as defending champions and had won the competition 10 times. But Cameroon beat them 1-0 in the quarter-final in Casablanca on 9 August. Myriam Maéva Nyadjou scored in the 19th minute, while Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina made eight saves.

The defeat ended Nigeria's title defence and forced the Falcons into a World Cup play-off. South Africa then beat Nigeria 2-1, meaning the Falcons lost the direct 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification place. Nigeria will now miss the World Cup in Brazil for the first time since the competition began in 1991.

The NFF apologised to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians before setting up a fact-finding committee led by former NFF general secretary Fanny Amun. Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu and his assistants were also dismissed shortly after.

The problems also reached the Golden Eaglets. Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2025 U17 AFCON after losing 2-0 to Ghana in the WAFU B semi-final in Yamoussoukro. That result also cost Nigeria a place at the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup. It was the second straight U17 AFCON that the five-time world champions missed.

The contrast is stark. Nigeria has won the FIFA U17 World Cup five times, yet the Golden Eaglets were left outside the continental tournament for two editions in a row.

The key officers of the current NFF administration are Ibrahim Musa Gusau, president, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, his vice and Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the General Secretary.