The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association (NFRA) has confirmed the death of Plateau State-based NPFL referee, Solomon Aweng Maram, after he collapsed during a pre-season fitness test in Abuja.
Maram died on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, while participating in the Batch A fitness test organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees’ Committee ahead of the 2026/27 football season.
The fitness exercise was held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, where Maram had earlier completed the required medical examination and was cleared to participate.
According to the NFRA, Maram was taking part in the second group of Batch A when he collapsed near the finishing point of the race.
A medical team stationed at the venue immediately attended to him, administering emergency treatment, including oxygen and medication, before he was taken by ambulance to the National Hospital, Abuja.
He was later pronounced dead by medical personnel at the hospital.
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Acting NFRA President, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, described Maram’s death as a devastating loss to Nigerian football, saying the association had lost “a rare gem” and one of the country’s highly regarded elite referees.
Mejuobi said medical personnel at both the stadium and the National Hospital made efforts to save Maram’s life, stressing that the NFF Referees’ Committee and the NFRA place priority on the health and safety of match officials during fitness programmes.
He expressed condolences to Maram’s family, the Plateau State Referees’ Council and the wider football community in Plateau State.
Maram’s death has cast a pall of mourning over Nigeria’s refereeing community as preparations continue for the new football season.
