By Emmanuel Afonne
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Fact-Finding Committee has alleged that some federation officials interfered in the selection of players and appointment of coaches for the country’s national teams.
The allegation was made on Monday in Abuja by Fanny Amun, chairman of the committee, while presenting its findings on the factors behind Nigeria’s recent disappointing performances in international competitions.
Amun, who resigned as chairman after submitting the report, said some allegations received by the committee indicated that members of the former NFF executive committee were involved in areas that should ordinarily fall under the federation’s technical department.
“Some of the allegations were that board members were involved in team selection, recruitment of coaches and selling of players,” Amun said.
He declined to identify the officials allegedly involved, saying the committee’s objective was to address weaknesses within Nigerian football rather than target individuals.
The committee was inaugurated on August 17 and given 14 days to complete its assignment, but Amun said it concluded its work within three days following extensive meetings.
Its mandate was to investigate the root causes of Nigeria’s poor performances in recent international competitions, particularly the Super Falcons’ elimination from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The committee examined governance, finances, technical development, grassroots football and league administration, among other areas.
Amun said the committee also received allegations that football agents and intermediaries had influenced player selection during national team camps.
He said such practices, if established, could compromise the quality and integrity of Nigeria’s national teams.
The committee also raised concerns about what Amun described as an unequal remuneration system for national team delegations, alleging that some officials received daily allowances while players and coaches were not similarly compensated.
“If you are paying all, you pay all. If you are not paying all, you don’t pay all. The question remains, where is the equity there?” he asked.
The report recommended clearer responsibilities for coaches, technical officials, team secretaries, coordinators and other members of national team delegations.
It also called for national teams to begin preparations earlier, with player selection based on fitness and performance indicators and closer coordination between technical and medical teams.
On the Super Falcons’ WAFCON campaign, Amun said the committee examined the team’s preparation and management, including its training programme and internal coordination.
The coach, medical personnel and other officials were invited to explain the circumstances surrounding the team’s performance.
According to Amun, the coach identified inadequate friendly matches and the team’s late arrival at the tournament venue among the difficulties encountered during preparations.
The committee, however, concluded that alternative preparations could have been explored, including matches against local or lower-tier opposition.
Amun also addressed the fitness of defender Ashleigh Plumptre, saying the committee found medical evidence that she had undergone surgery and was unfit to participate in the tournament.
“This was corroborated by team doctors in Nigeria and her foreign club,” he said.
The committee, he added, found no evidence that players influenced team selection.
It nevertheless observed that some officials allegedly had unrestricted access to the team’s camp, a situation it said could undermine discipline and team cohesion.
Beyond the national teams, the committee recommended reforms to the NFF’s statutes to widen stakeholder participation in the federation’s congress.
Amun advocated a maximum of two terms for congress members and called for greater opportunities for both new and experienced stakeholders to participate in football administration.
He said prolonged occupation of strategic positions by some individuals had created unnecessary rivalry and restricted opportunities for others.
The committee also called for reforms in the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Nationwide League One and Nigeria Women’s Football League, particularly in funding, player development, coaching education and talent identification.
It recommended greater use of technology for player registration, data management and age verification, alongside stronger regulatory and oversight mechanisms.
The committee further called for clubs to establish youth development structures, particularly at Under-15 and Under-18 levels, and urged that league revenues be channelled towards grassroots and youth development.
Amun also identified refereeing as an area requiring urgent attention, calling for better training, remuneration and exposure for Nigerian officials.
Despite Nigeria’s failure to retain the continental title, Amun rejected the characterisation of the Super Falcons’ campaign as an outright failure.
He pointed to Nigeria’s record as 10-time continental champions and recalled the substantial rewards given to the players after their previous WAFCON triumph, including $100,000 each and other incentives.
He said the latest outcome should instead be considered within the wider context of preparation, administration and technical management.
The committee also called for a clearer division of responsibilities between the National Sports Commission (NSC) and sports federations, saying the commission should focus primarily on policy, regulation and oversight.
“The National Sports Commission is to formulate policies, guide implementation, ensure there are no violations and exercise oversight,” Amun said.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for his investment in sports and urged the relevant authorities to consider implementing the committee’s recommendations.
Amun stressed that the report was designed not to punish individuals but to identify structural weaknesses and provide measures for repositioning Nigerian football.
The committee comprised Amun as chairman, Dr Alex Mana, former Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie, coach Ladan Bosso, ex-international Mutiu Adepoju, and Nasiru Jibril as secretary.
