FCT Football Association chairman Alhaji Abba Mukhtar Mouktar has urged Nigeria to build the next Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership around integrity, ability and public confidence rather than personal connections.
Key takeaways
- Mouktar was a contender in the 2022 NFF presidential race, alongside Ibrahim Gusau, Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko.
- The NFF leadership crisis follows Nigeria’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup and the Super Falcons’ historic elimination from 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying.
- A DSS investigation is examining how a N17 billion federal intervention package intended for national-team arrears was used.
- President Bola Tinubu has halted the September NFF elections while ordering broad reforms to football administration.
- Mouktar wants independent figures, including former internationals and referees, represented in an expanded Congress and Board.
Call for a credible football administration
Mouktar said the next NFF board must be selected on the basis of character and competence, warning that Nigerian football could not endure another round of appointments driven by patronage.
The FCT official, who challenged for the NFF presidency in 2022 against Gusau, Akinwunmi and Dikko, said personal networks had too often counted for more than football experience when federation positions were filled. He added that the credentials of the people chosen to lead the game must be transparent enough for Nigerians to have confidence in them.
His comments came after NFF President Ibrahim Gusau resigned, together with the federation’s General Secretary and members of its Executive Committee. Their departures have left the administration of Nigerian football without an effective leadership structure.
The upheaval followed the Super Eagles’ failure to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup and the Super Falcons’ unprecedented departure from the qualifying competition for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The federation has also faced increasing questions over its management of public money, including a Department of State Services inquiry into the spending of a N17 billion federal intervention fund. The money had been released to settle unpaid salaries and bonuses owed to the national teams.
Government reform and wider representation
President Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough overhaul of football governance in Nigeria. The proposed review includes financial accountability, representation for stakeholders, the development of players and the running of domestic competitions. He has also suspended the electoral timetable that was expected to deliver a new NFF administration in September.
Mouktar characterised the crisis as a deep-rooted institutional problem, rather than a dispute caused by individual office holders, comparing the condition of the federation to cancer at an advanced stage.
He proposed expanding both the NFF Congress and Board to include independent contributors, such as former internationals, referees and other respected stakeholders. He also called for a publicly available 10-year development plan containing measurable key performance indicators, allowing administrators to be assessed against clearly defined targets.
Mouktar said the reform effort should avoid becoming consumed by inquiries, arguments about previous events or attempts to assign blame. He also said he hoped FIFA and CAF officials would travel to Nigeria to take part in consultations. In his view, the government’s contact with both governing bodies should ensure that the reform programme is understood as legitimate engagement rather than interference.
