The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), in partnership with FIFA, has successfully completed the 2025 edition of the FIFA Member Associations (MA) Referee Course in Abuja, fostering renewed optimism regarding the future of refereeing in Nigeria.
The rigorous two-week program, conducted from June 9 to 19, included both technical and physical training for instructors, as well as a specialized Young Talents program.
This initiative brought together leading FIFA experts alongside Nigeria’s most promising referees and educators.
FIFA Technical Instructor Ali Mohamed Ahmed, who led the technical training for the young referees, expressed profound admiration for the quality and potential of the Nigerian participants.
“I am very satisfied with the group that we worked with over the past one week – the young talents,” Ahmed stated. “Their level of assimilation is very high, and I see them going places in the work of refereeing.
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Nigeria is recognised for qualifying for major tournaments and securing trophies, but it would also be remarkable to witness Nigerian referees officiating not only at AFCON but also at the FIFA World Cup. Having collaborated with these young individuals, I can assure you that the future of Nigerian refereeing is in very capable hands.”
NFF President and WAFU B President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), praised the ongoing advancement of the country’s referee development program, emphasising the federation’s commitment to nurturing young talent.
“I am pleased that we now have a total of 86 young talents in our refereeing pool. This truly brings me joy,” he remarked. “Last year, we had 40 individuals participate in this course, and this year, we have 46.
Allow me to share that 10 of those young talents from last year have been promoted to the NPFL, and none of them faltered throughout the season.”
He further encouraged the participants to apply their knowledge practically and to foster unity and collaboration among themselves for ongoing development.
“Your performance instils great hope and reaffirms the NFF’s commitment to building. But to grow further, you must fraternise, collaborate, and work as a team to sharpen and strengthen your individual and collective capacities.”
