Sports
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau Reflects on Achievements and Plans for Nigerian Football
NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Nigerian football, assuring the public of concerted efforts to push the sport forward. Celebrating his second year in office on Monday, Gusau highlighted several significant achievements under his administration since his election in 2022.
One of the major successes, according to Gusau, is the stability within Nigerian football, which has contributed to the improved performance of both the men’s and women’s national teams on the international stage. He noted the Super Eagles’ close call at the 2024 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where they narrowly missed clinching the title.
“We have seen remarkable progress in women’s football, particularly with the Super Falcons reaching the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup without a single defeat in regulation time,” Gusau stated. “This is a reflection of the enhanced preparation and support from our administration. The Super Falcons performed admirably and were among the top 12 teams at the 2024 Olympics, showcasing their strength. Our investment in their preparation was key to this success.”
He added that Nigeria’s junior women’s teams, the Falconets and the Flamingos, continue to dominate at the continental level and rank among the best globally. “We are committed to supporting these teams because they represent the future of Nigerian women’s football and serve as a talent pool for the Super Falcons,” Gusau said.
Gusau also emphasized his administration’s focus on promoting women’s football, particularly through the revitalization of the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), which has increased the visibility and success of the sport nationwide.
In addition to women’s football, Gusau highlighted the efforts being made to ensure credible seasons for all Nigerian leagues, including the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the Nigerian National League (NNL), the Nationwide League, and the Nigerian Women’s League. “We are collaborating with various stakeholders to improve different aspects of the game. Our strong relationships with FIFA and CAF have also secured additional technical support for Nigerian football,” he said.
The NFF President reiterated his commitment to transparency, stating that it is essential to boosting corporate sponsorships and addressing long-standing funding challenges faced by the federation. He also introduced performance-based bonuses for players and coaches, a move that has motivated higher performance levels across Nigerian football.
Looking ahead, Gusau outlined his goals for the next two years, stating that the focus will be on ensuring Nigeria qualifies for all major tournaments and brings home laurels. “Our goal is clear: we want to see Nigeria’s flag flying high in every competition we enter,” he concluded.
Before becoming NFF President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau served as the chairman of the Zamfara Football Association, a committee member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and a member of the CAF Youth Organizing Committee. An accountant by profession, he was elected as the 40th president of the NFF at the 78th Elective Congress in Benin City, Edo State, on September 30, 2022, succeeding Amaju Pinnick.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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