Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme has been handed responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the Nigeria Football Federation as the organisation begins a transition following the resignation of its top officials. The former Deputy General Secretary will serve as interim General Secretary while a broader reform process is worked out.
The National Sports Commission endorsed Ikpeme for the role after NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee resigned on Thursday. Dr Ademola Olajire, previously the Director of Media and Communications, has been appointed interim Deputy General Secretary.
The changes go beyond filling vacant positions. The NFF has suspended preparations for its elective congress, which had been scheduled for September 27, and said a new electoral process will follow the proposed reforms. The next steps are expected to be discussed with FIFA, CAF, the government and other football stakeholders.
For now, Ikpeme’s assignment is to keep the federation’s administrative machinery functioning during the transition. The NFF said the interim arrangement is intended to prevent a disruption in the running of Nigerian football while consultations on the reform roadmap continue.
The restructuring also affects the country’s domestic leagues. Chairmen, appointed directors and chief executive officers of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and Nationwide League One have been instructed to hand over administrative duties to their respective chief operating officers.
Where a league’s chief operating officer is not an NFF staff member, the interim General Secretary is expected to deploy another officer from the federation to take up the responsibility.
The leadership changes follow a difficult period for Nigerian football, including the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Super Falcons also missed qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup after losing their qualifying play-off to South Africa.
Those setbacks have intensified calls for changes in the administration and development of the sport. President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, with the process expected to cover governance, administration, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.
The NFF’s latest arrangement therefore places Ikpeme at the centre of the federation’s short-term administration, but not as the head of a new permanent leadership. His role is tied to the transition while the authorities and football stakeholders work on the reforms and determine the next electoral process.
The federation said additional directives would be issued as the transition develops, with the immediate priority being continuity in the administration of Nigerian football.
