NFF forms committee to investigate Nigeria's football decline

The Nigeria Football Federation has established a fact-finding committee to investigate the recent poor performance of the country's national teams in international competitions. The investigation focuses on the recent setbacks experienced by the senior teams, particularly the Super Falcons' failure to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The Super Falcons, who have won the Women Africa Cup of Nations ten times, will miss the next edition of the tournament. This follows their exit during the quarter-final stage of the current 14th edition of the competition in Morocco. Nigeria's hopes for the Inter-Confederations Playoffs were also ended after a 1-2 defeat to South Africa in a playoff match.

This failure marks a significant shift for the team, which has participated in every FIFA Women's World Cup since the tournament began in 1991. The committee aims to address the reasons behind this decline in a team that has historically dominated African women's football.

Ambassador Fanny Amun, the former General Secretary of the NFF, will lead the committee. The group includes several prominent figures in Nigerian football, such as former Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie and former Super Eagles captain Mutiu Adepoju. Both players are former FIFA World Cup participants and African Cup of Nations winners.

Other members of the committee are Coach Ladan Bosso, the former Nigeria U20 coach and president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, and former FIFA referee Dr. Alex Mana. Mallam Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu, the chairman of the Sokoto State Football Association, has been appointed to serve as the secretary for the group.