NFF Leadership Shake-Up: NSC Appoints Ikpeme, Suspends Election

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has appointed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme as the Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following a major leadership shake-up in the country’s football governing body.
Ikpeme, a former NFF Deputy General Secretary, will oversee the federation’s secretariat during the transition period. Dr Ademola Olajire, who previously served as Director of Media and Communications, has also been appointed Acting Deputy General Secretary.
The appointments followed the resignations on Thursday of NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi, and several members of the federation’s Executive Committee.
The NSC also suspended all processes relating to the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for September 27.
According to the commission, a fresh electoral process will commence after the completion of anticipated comprehensive reforms, which will be undertaken in consultation with world football governing bodies FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The NSC said the new electoral process would be part of broader reforms designed to address governance challenges within Nigerian football.
As part of the transition measures, chairmen, appointed directors and chief executive officers of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), and Nationwide League One (NLO) have been directed to immediately hand over league operations to their respective Chief Operating Officers (COOs).
The commission said that where a league’s COO is not an NFF staff member, Acting General Secretary Ikpeme would deploy a replacement from within the federation.
The NSC explained that the measures were necessary to ensure administrative continuity as stakeholders, government officials, FIFA and CAF work on a broader reform roadmap for Nigerian football.
It added that further directives would be issued as the transition and reform process progresses.