The National Sports Commission (NSC) has endorsed the appointment of Emmanuel Ikpeme as the interim General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Ikpeme, who previously served as Deputy General Secretary, steps into the role following the mass resignation of top federation officials.
Ademola Olajire, formerly the Director of Media and Communications, has also been named interim Deputy General Secretary.
Executive resignations follow Super Falcons and U-20 tournament exits
The leadership reshuffle comes after NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and several Executive Committee members resigned from their posts. Gusau faced growing public and administrative pressure following a series of disappointing international results for Nigeria’s national teams.
The crisis deepened after the 10-time African champion Super Falcons were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), missing out on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Additionally, Nigeria’s U-20 male team, the Flying Eagles, failed to qualify for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations after a 4-1 loss to Burkina Faso in the WAFU B U-20 Championship final.
