The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally dismissed as fabricated a viral letter claiming that world football governing body FIFA was threatening Nigeria with suspension over alleged government interference.
​The forged document, dated Tuesday, September 1, 2026, purportedly bore the signature of FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström. It alleged that FIFA had raised severe concerns regarding the recent resignation of former NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau under alleged directives from the Nigerian Presidency.
Citing Articles 14 and 19 of the FIFA Statutes, which guard member associations against third-party interference. The fake letter warned that failure to clarify the issue within seven days could result in Nigeria’s suspension from all FIFA and CAF competitions.
​Refuting the reports in an official statement released in Abuja, the NFF confirmed that the letter did not originate from Zurich and was completely fraudulent.
​”The NFF has debunked news of a ‘letter’ circulating in sections of the media as being from world-football governing body, FIFA. It is totally fake,” the federation announced. “FIFA has already accepted the resignations of former principal officers and Members of the NFF Exco.”
​The NFF clarified that former President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and executive committee members voluntarily stepped aside following widespread calls for structural reforms driven by President Bola Tinubu.
The governance shake-up followed the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons missing out on the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
​Under temporary measures, former Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme has been appointed interim General Secretary, alongside Ademola Olajire as interim Deputy General Secretary.
​The federation’s debunking coincides with diplomatic engagements in Switzerland. On Tuesday afternoon, a high-powered Nigerian delegation, led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko and NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, accompanied by former NFF President and ex-FIFA Council member Amaju Pinnick met face-to-face with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at FIFA Headquarters in Zurich.
​According to the NFF, constructive discussions between the NSC, the interim NFF administration, CAF, and FIFA are actively progressing to establish a clear, lawful roadmap for restructuring Nigerian football in full alignment with international statutes.
