Members of the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are reportedly set to resign from their positions to pave the way for sweeping reforms in the administration of Nigerian football.

The development comes amid mounting pressure on the Ibrahim Musa Gusau-led NFF leadership following a series of disappointing results involving Nigeria’s national teams. Blueprint reports

The reported move is expected to pave the way for a broader restructuring of the country’s football administration and possibly a temporary arrangement to oversee the affairs of the federation while reforms are undertaken.

Pressure mounts on NFF leadership

The NFF leadership has come under intense criticism in recent weeks following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The setbacks have intensified calls from former internationals, football stakeholders and supporters for fundamental changes in the way Nigerian football is administered.

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel is among those who have publicly called for changes at the NFF, arguing that Nigeria needs fresh leadership to restore the country’s football fortunes.

Mikel said Nigeria could not afford to miss a third consecutive World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 editions.

Reforms follow national team setbacks

The pressure has also increased after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, despite Nigeria’s dominant record in African women’s football.

The NFF subsequently dismissed the technical crew of the Super Falcons and established a fact-finding committee to investigate the causes of the poor performances by the country’s national teams.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau inaugurated the committee on August 17, 2026 and gave it two weeks to investigate the direct and remote causes of Nigeria’s recent setbacks, with particular attention to the Falcons’ failure to qualify for the World Cup.

The development, however, failed to halt demands for changes at the administrative level, with critics arguing that responsibility should extend beyond the technical crews.

Possible normalisation arrangement

The reported resignation of the NFF Executive Committee could open the way for a temporary administrative arrangement to oversee Nigerian football while wider reforms are considered.

Earlier reports indicated that the National Sports Commission had moved to halt the September 27 NFF election and establish a normalisation committee as part of a proposed restructuring of the federation.

However, there have been conflicting reports over the government’s position, with the NSC previously denying that it had ordered the NFF board to resign.

The NFF had itself announced a roadmap for its Executive Committee election scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, with screening and other stages of the electoral process already underway.

Stakeholders demand structural overhaul

Beyond calls for a change of personalities, several stakeholders have demanded fundamental reforms to the structure and electoral system of Nigerian football.

Football reform advocate Harrison Jalla has called for a major overhaul of the NFF structure, arguing that the crisis requires more than cosmetic changes and that the electoral system should be redesigned to promote broader and more equitable representation.

The latest development therefore comes at a critical point for Nigerian football, with the future leadership structure of the NFF, the proposed reforms and the organisation of the federation’s next election now under intense scrutiny.

If the reported resignations are formally confirmed, they could mark a major turning point in the administration of Nigerian football and set the stage for a new governance framework.