The world football governing body FIFA is set to visit Nigeria as discussions continue over the proposed Normalisation Committee for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following the mass resignation of the federation’s leadership.
The development comes after a Nigerian delegation led by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, met FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the organisation’s headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday. The meeting focused on the ongoing crisis in Nigerian football administration and the proposed roadmap for reforms.
The NFF crisis intensified following the resignation of President Ibrahim Gusau and other principal officials amid growing criticism of the federation’s administration and the poor performances of Nigeria’s national teams. FIFA has since accepted the resignations while continuing discussions with Nigerian authorities over the way forward.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, with the government describing the situation as requiring urgent intervention. The NSC proposed a Normalisation Committee to temporarily oversee the administration of the NFF, implement reforms and organise fresh elections.
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However, FIFA did not immediately approve the proposed committee during the Zurich meeting. Instead, the world football body is expected to send a delegation to Nigeria to assess the situation before making a final decision.
FIFA is also expected to play a major role in determining the composition of the committee. Prospective members are reportedly expected to undergo integrity and eligibility checks before being considered.
While the committee was initially expected to operate for about three months, its tenure could reportedly extend to between six months and one year if additional time is required to complete the reform process.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria AbdulHakeem Uthman Mustapha has emerged as a leading candidate to chair the proposed committee. Mustapha is reportedly a member of FIFA’s Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Committee.
The final composition and leadership of the Normalisation Committee remain subject to further consultations between FIFA and Nigerian authorities.
