SWAN Calls for Football Governance Overhaul in Nigeria

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has advocated for a comprehensive restructuring of football administration in Nigeria, urging FIFA and CAF to leverage the current leadership vacuum in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as a chance for a governance reset. In a statement signed by Secretary-General Ikenna Okonkwo, SWAN emphasized the need to address longstanding institutional weaknesses rather than merely filling vacant positions.

This call follows the resignation of NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi, and other board members, which has intensified scrutiny on the governance of Nigerian football. SWAN's National President, Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, presented an 18-page position paper to a joint FIFA/CAF Fact-Finding Mission at Onomo Hotel, Abuja.

He argued against a superficial electoral process, insisting that reforms must encompass the NFF, State Football Associations, and other key areas within the football ecosystem to ensure a more democratic, accountable, and sustainable governance structure.