The FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) joint assessment mission in Nigeria is set to engage a broad spectrum of football stakeholders in Abuja on Monday as the international governing bodies intensify consultations over the country’s deepening football governance crisis.

The meeting, scheduled for 4:30pm at the Abuja Continental Hotel, is expected to bring together representatives of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), State Football Associations, coaches, referees, players, domestic leagues and other key constituencies within the Nigerian football ecosystem. 

Beyond the representatives selected by the NFF, representatives of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Supporters Club, Players Union and the National Association of Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHERSD) have also been invited to the engagement.

The wider invitations could give FIFA and CAF an opportunity to hear directly from stakeholders whose roles extend beyond the immediate administration of the federation, particularly the media, supporters, players and professionals involved in sports development and education.

The NFF has selected nine State Football Association chairmen and 18 other representatives for the meeting, with the State FAs allocated the largest single bloc.

Under the arrangement communicated by Acting NFF Secretary-General Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, the nine State FA representatives are expected to be drawn across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The selected representatives will be joined by the leadership and additional delegates of the Coaches Association and Referees Association, while the Players Union is expected to be represented by its president and two other members, one each from the northern and southern parts of the country.  

The country’s major domestic competitions will equally have representation, with the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO) each expected to provide delegates. 

The inclusion of SWAN adds the voice of the country’s sports media to the consultation, while the invitation to the Supporters Club brings one of the game’s most visible fan-based constituencies into the process.

The presence of the Players Union is equally significant as footballers remain one of the principal stakeholders whose interests are directly affected by decisions concerning the administration, development and welfare of the game.

NAPHERSD’s participation further broadens the consultation by bringing into the discussion professionals and academics connected with physical education, recreation and sports development.

The expanded stakeholder participation comes less than a week after FIFA and CAF directed the suspension of the ongoing NFF electoral process and announced plans for a joint assessment mission to Abuja.

In their September 7 communication, FIFA and CAF said they were assessing the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications arising from the developments within the NFF following the resignations of former President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee.

The two bodies stressed that they had not reached any conclusions and that no determination had been made regarding possible next steps.

The Abuja mission is therefore expected to listen to the competing positions of stakeholders before FIFA and CAF determine whether recommendations or proposals should be submitted to their respective decision-making bodies.

The consultation is taking place amid debate over competing proposals for the future administration of Nigerian football, including discussions around a possible normalisation arrangement, transitional structures and the eventual restoration of an elected NFF leadership.

There are also growing concerns over the composition and balance of stakeholder representation. Players Union advocate Harrison Jalla has already criticised the allocation of three slots to the Players Union compared with nine for State FA chairmen, arguing that the representation should be more equitable. 

The additional invitations to SWAN, Supporters Club, NAPHERSD and other stakeholder groups could consequently become important to ensuring that FIFA and CAF receive perspectives beyond the immediate NFF administrative structure.

Of particular interest will be whether the various groups use the opportunity to present proposals on governance, accountability, electoral reform, stakeholder representation, grassroots development and the autonomy of Nigerian football.

The meeting also comes as the September 27 NFF Elective Congress remains on hold following the FIFA-CAF directive suspending further electoral activities pending completion of their assessment. 

For Nigerian football, Monday’s engagement could therefore represent a significant moment in the ongoing reform process, not necessarily because FIFA and CAF are expected to announce a final solution immediately, but because the submissions from the various constituencies could shape their assessment and eventual recommendations.

With administrators, State FAs, players, coaches, referees, leagues, supporters, journalists and sports professionals now being brought into the conversation, the Abuja mission has the potential to provide a much broader picture of the challenges confronting Nigerian football.