FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have ordered the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to suspend its ongoing electoral process, as the two governing bodies begin an assessment of the crisis engulfing Nigerian football.
The directive was contained in a letter dated September 7, 2026, signed by FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov and addressed to NFF Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme.
FIFA and CAF said they were reviewing the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications of recent developments within the NFF and instructed the federation not to take further steps in the electoral process until the assessment is completed.
The move effectively puts on hold the NFF elective congress that had been scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The international bodies said the suspension was intended to preserve the status quo while they examine the circumstances surrounding the crisis and consult the various stakeholders.
They stressed that the decision should not be interpreted as a ruling on the validity of any of the positions or actions taken by stakeholders.
FIFA and CAF will also send a joint assessment mission to Abuja at the earliest opportunity.
The delegation is expected to meet representatives of the NFF administration, members of the federation, its electoral bodies and the Federal Government, including the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The mission will gather information on the developments within the NFF and examine the positions of the various stakeholders before FIFA and CAF determine whether any recommendations should be submitted to their respective decision-making bodies.
The two organisations said no final decision has been reached on the future of the electoral process and cautioned stakeholders against assuming what action they may eventually take.
The intervention follows the resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the NFF Executive Committee.
The resignations created a leadership vacuum within the federation and prompted the NFF to halt preparations for its elective congress.
The crisis also comes after President Bola Tinubu directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, calling for changes to governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.
Tinubu directed the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF and other stakeholders on the reform process, including engagement with FIFA and CAF.
The latest intervention now places FIFA and CAF directly in the assessment of the federation’s governance and electoral arrangements.
For now, Nigeria’s planned September 27 NFF election remains suspended pending the outcome of the joint assessment.