Anonymous Nigerian referee urges wider reforms after Maram’s death

A serving Nigerian referee has called for broad changes to the country’s refereeing system after Plateau State official Aweng Solomon Maram died during a pre-season fitness assessment. Maram reportedly collapsed at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on August 18, 2026, during a Nigeria Referees Association exercise.

The official, who spoke anonymously, said the response should not focus only on the number of laps or the standards required in fitness tests. He urged stakeholders to examine referees’ welfare, working conditions and long-term career development, with State Referees Council chairmen, training officers and secretaries encouraged to raise these issues within the NRA.

He also argued that the association, which operates under the Nigeria Football Federation, must be more directly focused on representing referees. In his view, officiating should be treated as a profession rather than mainly as a hobby. Better welfare packages, career planning and support after retirement were identified as priorities.

The referee noted that Nigeria has produced FIFA-badged officials who have served the country internationally and worked in domestic football. However, he said many referees still face uncertainty when their active careers end, making post-retirement planning an important part of any reform programme.

He proposed a more clearly structured route through the officiating grades. State associations could hold regular practice fitness assessments from Grade One, giving officials an early understanding of the required standards. Promotion, he said, should depend on fitness, examinations, knowledge, consistency and match performance. Referees who fall short should receive the chance to improve before moving forward. Such a process could ease congestion at NLO level and strengthen progression towards the NNL and higher competitions.

The official also raised concerns that personal connections are sometimes perceived to influence advancement. He called for transparent promotion rules, stronger mentoring and succession planning so younger officials can learn from experienced referees. Mistakes, he added, should be used for education as well as discipline, while referees need a safe way to report genuine concerns without fear of victimisation. He said the aim was to build a system in which officiating is respected and advancement rests on merit, fitness, knowledge and performance.