NFF Congress Rejects Normalization Committee, Proposes 3-6 Months Caretaker Arrangement Ahead Of Elections The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Congress has backed comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football but insisted that the process must be conducted in accordance with Nigerian law, the NFF Statutes and applicable FIFA and CAF regulations, BSNSports.com.ng reports. In a reform proposal dated September 2026, the Congress said the resignation of the NFF Executive Committee and General Secretary has created a serious governance vacuum, but argued that the development does not dissolve the Federation or remove the constitutional authority of Congress.
The Congress said existing provisions of the NFF Statutes provide a mechanism for addressing the vacancies through an Extraordinary Congress. It therefore proposed a sequence that would begin with the activation of the appropriate Congress, followed by a review of the Statutes and Electoral Code, verification of electoral constituencies and stakeholder structures, and ultimately the conduct of elections.
The proposal also calls for FIFA and CAF to provide technical assistance, recognition and oversight without replacing the NFF's constitutional institutions. According to the Congress, a Normalisation Committee should only be considered if FIFA formally determines that the existing statutory process cannot lawfully or practically function. Congress supports comprehensive reform: governance, league administration, commercialisation, funding, infrastructure, player welfare, legislation and football development.
It stressed, however, that the reform process should itself comply with the principles it seeks to promote, including legality, institutional continuity, democratic representation, transparency, accountability and football autonomy. Government role and football autonomy: the Congress acknowledged the role of government in supporting football through public resources, infrastructure and legislation but warned that financial or legislative support should not translate into control over the NFF's internal administration.
Proposed governance reforms: broader representation for players, coaches, referees, leagues and clubs, women's football, youth football and grassroots interests, plus a three-term tenure limit for the NFF President and Executive Committee members, citing tenure principles contained in CAF and FIFA statutes. Elections and transition sequence: 1. Convene an Extraordinary Congress to address institutional vacancies.
2. Review and amend the Statutes and Electoral Code where necessary. 3. Subject proposed reforms to FIFA and CAF technical review. 4. Formally adopt the reforms through Congress. 5. Verify and regularise electoral constituencies and stakeholder structures. 6. Convene an elective Congress to install new NFF leadership. Caretaker committee proposal: as part of the transition, the Congress proposed a Caretaker Committee with a mandate of between three and six months.
Its stated purpose would be to stabilise the Federation and facilitate the statutory process leading to elections. The proposed committee comprises Christopher Green, Esq.; Hon. Abubakar Ladan; Mr. L. A. Haruna, SAN; Engineer Waheed Akanni; Rukayat Segilola Alaya; Coach Oko Victor Ndubuisi; and Professor Tor Iorapuu. The Congress said the arrangement should operate under the NFF Statutes and should not become a substitute for elected governance.
