NFF president Ibrahim Gusau has made a concrete commitment to VAR training for Nigerian match officials, pairing it with a broader push to raise recruitment standards and stamp out the poor officiating that has long frustrated domestic football.
The Nigeria Football Federation will train at least 10 Nigerian referees in VAR operations before the end of 2026, NFF president Ibrahim Gusau confirmed on Wednesday while receiving the new executive team of the Nigeria Referees Association at the federation’s Abuja secretariat.
The delegation was led by acting NRA president Kelechi Mejuobi and visited the NFF following the recent death of former NRA president Sani Zubair. Gusau used the occasion not just to offer condolences but to lay out an ambitious agenda for transforming refereeing standards in the country, connecting the VAR training pledge to a wider conversation about how Nigerian football selects and develops its match officials.
“I am one of those who believe that no serious recruitment drive for referees should accept people above a certain age,” Gusau said in a statement released by NFF Head of Communications Ademola Olajire. “Perhaps, we should even look at recruiting from the level of junior secondary schools. When will the referee rise to Grade 1 and then to FIFA level?” As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, the comments signal a significant shift in how the NFF wants to approach referee development going forward.
Computer Literacy: A Non-Negotiable Requirement
Beyond age, Gusau raised a practical issue that reflects the modern demands of officiating at any serious level. Referees today are required to file detailed digital match reports, communicate through online systems, and engage with video review processes. An official who cannot operate a computer is functionally unable to participate in that ecosystem.
“There is also the imperative of computer literacy. These days, referees must file reports running into several pages. How will any computer illiterate cope?” Gusau asked, before calling on the NRA executive to take the issue to the referees’ congress and pass it as a formal resolution. “The NFF is ready to provide support, but this is something the executive council must take to the referees’ congress and pass as a resolution.” New Bet9ja users can take advantage of the Bet9ja sign-up offer ahead of upcoming NPFL matches.
Tackling Corruption and Poor Officiating
NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi delivered the sharpest words of the day when addressing the issue of match-fixing and susceptibility among officials. His message was plain: Nigerian football has referees capable of performing at the highest level, but they keep choosing to throw that potential away.
“I believe we have referees who can hold their own at the highest level, even perform at the FIFA World Cup, but they are easily influenced to the detriment of their own careers,” Sanusi said. The combination of poor officiating and its link to match manipulation has been one of the most persistent problems in the NPFL, damaging the league’s credibility and making it harder to attract serious investment or broadcast interest. Fans who want to stake on NPFL matches with a reliable welcome offer can use the Bet9ja’s current promo code for their first deposit.
NRA’s New Leadership Responds
The incoming NRA acting president Mejuobi gave assurances that the new leadership understands the scale of the task. He pledged that indiscipline and unethical conduct would attract stiff sanctions, and that the association would intensify its efforts to sanitise the profession. The words are encouraging. The test, as always in Nigerian football administration, will be in whether the institutional follow-through matches the rhetoric.
The VAR training commitment at least puts a specific, measurable goal on the record. Ten referees trained in VAR technology by the end of 2026 is modest in scope but meaningful as a first step toward integrating Nigeria’s officiating corps into the modern game’s technological standards. NPFL fans and bettors keeping track of the league’s development can also check the Bet9ja sign-up bonus page for the latest available offers.
📌 Did You Know?
- VAR, the Video Assistant Referee system, was first used at a FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018 and has since been adopted by most major domestic leagues worldwide, though implementation in African leagues has been gradual and uneven.
- Nigeria has produced FIFA-listed referees in the past, with officials like Peter Iwe having represented the country at continental and international level, showing the potential that exists within the domestic refereeing pool.
- The Nigerian Premier Football League has faced repeated controversies over officiating standards, with several clubs formally complaining about referee decisions that they believe affected the outcome of important matches in recent seasons.
- South Africa’s PSL was one of the first African domestic leagues to implement VAR, and the experience there has shown that while technology helps with clear errors, the training and infrastructure requirements are substantial and ongoing.
- Ibrahim Gusau became NFF president in 2022, succeeding Amaju Pinnick, and has since positioned himself as a moderniser focused on both governance reform and improving Nigeria’s standing within the continental football structure.
- Age-limit policies in referee development are standard practice in European football federations, where national associations typically identify candidates between the ages of 14 and 18 and guide them through a structured pathway to senior-level officiating over many years.
- The Nigeria Referees Association oversees the appointment and professional development of all match officials across the NPFL and lower-tier domestic competitions, making its leadership a critical part of the domestic game’s overall governance structure.
