FIFA approves Normalisation Committee to run Nigeria football

World football governing body FIFA has approved the appointment of a Normalisation Committee to oversee the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and manage the transition to fresh elections, with the interim body’s mandate running until May 31, 2027, at the latest.

However, FIFA has yet to announce the identities of the committee members, who will be appointed jointly by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

According to a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and addressed to Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme MON, “the normalisation committee shall consist of a suitable number of members, who will be appointed jointly by FIFA and CAF as soon as possible.”

The letter stated that the committee’s mandate would end once it had completed its assigned tasks no later than May 31, 2027.

It also stipulated that none of the committee members would be eligible to contest positions in the forthcoming NFF elections.

In the meantime, the NFF Secretariat will continue to handle the federation’s day-to-day administration and the running of Nigerian football pending the appointment of the committee.

The decision follows consultations involving FIFA, CAF, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and other stakeholders over the future of football administration in Nigeria.

A joint FIFA-CAF delegation visited Nigeria in September to engage key stakeholders and explore possible solutions to the crisis, including the establishment of a Normalisation Committee.

The Normalisation Committee is expected to oversee the federation’s affairs, address administrative challenges and facilitate a transition to elected leadership through fresh NFF elections.