NFF probe alleges officials influenced national team invitations for financial gains

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The Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) fact-finding committee has alleged that some officials influenced the selection of players for Nigeria’s national teams for financial gain.

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The allegation was contained in a leaked committee report dated 21 August and seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

The committee, which was set up following the Super Falcons’ failure to retain the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title and to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, examined broader administrative, technical, financial, and developmental problems in Nigerian football.

The six-member committee was chaired by former NFF General Secretary Fanny Amun, with former Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie, ex-Super Eagles captain Mutiu Adepoju, former Nigeria U-20 coach Ladan Bosso, former FIFA referee Alex Mana and Nasiru Jibril as secretary.

The NFF announced the committee on 14 August, stating it would investigate the country’s poor performances in international competitions, with a particular focus on the Falcons’ World Cup failure.

Among the issues examined by the committee was the process of selecting and inviting players to national-team camps.

The report alleged that “some of the board members influence the invitation of players to the national teams locally and internationally.”

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It further alleged that “Team Coaches and Officials” could be involved in inviting players to national camps “for the purpose of having a source for financial gains.”

The report also raised a separate allegation that some board members, NFF management staff and coaches could receive incentives to influence decisions concerning national-team invitations.

It stated: “Allegations of Board Members, NFF Management Staff and Coaches taking incentives to compromise decisions in the build-up to national team camp invitation.”

However, the committee did not name any individual in connection with the allegations.

The claims are also not presented as proven acts of wrongdoing. In its concluding remarks, the committee called on the NFF to establish mechanisms to verify the issues raised in the report before taking action.

The allegations form part of a wider set of concerns identified by the committee, including unequal payment of members of national-team delegations.

According to the report, there was “the usual claim that in a team delegation that comprises players, coaches, Management Staff of the NFF, and Board Members, Board Members and Management Staff are paid while the players and their officials are not paid.”

The committee also recommended that compensation should be “well structured, equitable, and accordingly administered.

The report’s findings come less than two weeks after the Super Falcons suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the WAFCON play-off, ending Nigeria’s record of qualifying for every Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991.

The committee also examined allegations of player influence but said it found no evidence that individual players influenced team selection.

READ ALSO: NFF sacks Super Falcons technical crew after World Cup failure

It recommended a clearer structure for national-team management, earlier preparation, stronger technical oversight and selection based on fitness and performance.

Beyond the Falcons, the report called for reforms across the NFF, domestic leagues, grassroots development, coaching education, data management and governance.

The committee concluded that any reforms must move beyond recommendations on paper.

It stated: “Advice should and must be practical, implementable, and should be the ones that show political will.”

The NFF has yet to publicly announce how it intends to act on the allegations and recommendations contained in the report.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, for clarification on the report. Mr Olajire declined to comment and advised the newspaper to contact the NFF Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi. Efforts by PREMIUM TIMES to reach Mr Sanusi were unsuccessful, as calls to his known telephone number went unanswered.