Ahead of the next Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections, Nigerian youths have called for a change in the leadership of the federation, urging NFF President Ibrahim Gusau to step aside and allow a new generation of administrators to take charge of the country’s football. While some stakeholders believe Gusau should be given more time to consolidate on his reforms, the youths insist Nigerian football needs fresh leadership and new ideas to tackle its lingering challenges.
Gusau was elected President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on September 30, 2022, at the federation’s 78th Elective Congress held in Benin City, Edo State.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for a second consecutive FIFA World Cup has intensified calls for a leadership change at the NFF, with many football fans demanding a new direction for the administration of the game.
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One fan, Samuel Dare, told NationSport: “I don’t think the current NFF President has earned the right to go for another tenure, because before his time as President, Nigeria had never failed to qualify for back-to-back editions of the World Cup. We have really underachieved as a nation under the current President.”
He added: “Aside from the women’s team that has been making the country proud, winning the WAFCON for the 10th time, it is a big disappointment that the men’s team (Super Eagles) was not at the last two World Cup tournaments, even though they performed well at the last two editions of AFCON,” Hassan Abdulsalam said.
Another supporter, David Adekeye, remained objective, stating both the good and bad aspects of Gusau’s administration.
“Let’s not forget that the proposed monetary increase for successful NPFL clubs going forward was also one of his initiatives, one which has obviously been assisted by the NSC under the leadership of Alhaji Shehu Dikko. That is, for me, another new direction, and, in all honesty, Nigerian football lovers want to see Nigerian football thrive on all levels. However, taking into account the state of things with the Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles, I don’t think Gusau has done enough in these past years to guarantee a re-election.”
David added: “To answer the question — do I think he’s done enough to warrant a re-election? In his first two to three years, not really, but in this past year, yes. The problem just arises from the political nature of his reaction to adversities, leaving us all asking: is this resurgence hinging on elections? Are we heading back to factory reset in his next tenure? All of these questions cannot and must not be left unanswered.”
The criticism has also spilled onto social media, where a Facebook post addressed directly to Gusau by firebrand journalist Oni Guarantor has been circulating.
In it, Oni Guarantor pointed to the resignations of the Saudi Arabian and South Korean football federation presidents following their teams’ below-par showings at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing this was what accountability in leadership looked like.
The post asked what Gusau had achieved in his first four years to justify a second term, and questioned why Nigerians should reward what the author called a failed tenure with another mandate, arguing that leadership means accepting responsibility when results fall short.
