Ibrahim Gusau has stepped down as president of the Nigeria Football Federation, with Mohammed Sanusi and the rest of the NFF Executive Committee following suit in a sweeping resignation announced at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

Gusau confirmed the move takes immediate effect, telling journalists that he reached the decision after consulting family, friends, and stakeholders. "I have decided to resign my position," he said. "I have also advised my board members to resign."

A run of damaging results

The resignations bring an end to weeks of mounting pressure on the NFF leadership following a series of failures across Nigeria's national teams. Most significantly, the Super Eagles failed to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a major blow under Gusau's administration.

The Super Falcons suffered an equally painful exit from World Cup contention, missing out on the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup and ending Nigeria's unbroken record of participation in the tournament since its inaugural edition in 1991. Their qualification hopes were ended by a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the play-off, a run that had already been undermined by a 1-0 quarter-final loss to Cameroon at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

The Flying Eagles compounded the misery by failing to qualify for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, losing 4-1 to Burkina Faso in the final of the WAFU B U-20 Championship.

Timing and what comes next

Gusau's exit arrives weeks before an NFF elective congress scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State. The 62-year-old had been at the helm of Nigerian football since September 2022, when he was elected to succeed Amaju Pinnick.