NFF to address exclusion of Nigerian Referees from major CAF/FIFA tournament

Posted : 10 July 2024

Former FIFA referee and now FIFA senior technical instructor, Felix Tangawarima, has expressed confidence that if Nigeria's next generation of referees receive the necessary support and encouragement from the NFF, the absence of Nigerian referees from major international tournaments will soon be a thing of the past.

Tangawarima, who heads the FIFA team that supervised a five-day training program for the country's young talents (40 young arbiters) and is currently concluding a similar program for elite referees, spoke during a courtesy visit to the President of the NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

"We have seen so much promise and potential from the young talents, and as I mentioned last week, there are exceptional talents among them who can easily step up to replace some of the elite referees that we believe are no longer up to par.

"Now it is our responsibility, and that of the NFF, to continue to inspire, support, and encourage these young talents to fulfill their potential and reach the pinnacle.

"It is no longer acceptable that major tournaments come and go without Nigerian referees. Something must be done, and I can assure you that we are on the right track now.

"I am pleased with the new direction that the NFF is taking in the development of refereeing, the commitment of its leadership to motivate referees, and the personal interest of the NFF President in changing the situation."

While praising the excellent work of the NFF Referees Sub-Committee, Tangawarima, accompanied by FIFA Fitness Instructor Mark Mzengo from Malawi, appealed to the NFF President to enable Nigerian international referee instructors to periodically engage upcoming instructors in the zones to enhance their capacity.

In response, Gusau said that he is always deeply saddened whenever there is a report of misconduct by a Nigerian referee or when a list of referees for major tournaments is released without a single Nigerian referee.

"On a personal level, I find this unacceptable. On every occasion, I tell referees that we will continue to support those who adhere to the rules, and those who do not will be permanently excluded.

"It is a profession that demands the highest level of integrity, discipline, dedication, diligence, and moral rectitude.

"We are delighted with the positive feedback you have given about our next generation of referees. We will work tirelessly to ensure that they reach their full potential."

The NFF President also took the opportunity to announce that the Federation has already acquired new equipment for Nigerian referees to enhance their work on the field.

Also present at the meeting were Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, Deputy General Secretary of the NFF; Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications; Mrs. Faith Irabor, Chairperson of the NFF Referees Sub-Committee; Abraham Zakowi and Waziri Furo Gawe, members of the NFF Referees Sub-Committee; and Mr. Mohammed Ameenu, SA to the General Secretary.

NFF to address exclusion of Nigerian Referees from major CAF/FIFA tournament

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