Nigeria Football Mourns Former NFA President Ibrahim Galadima

Nigeria’s football community has been thrown into mourning following the death of former Nigeria Football Association (now Nigeria Football Federation) president, Ibrahim Galadima, who passed away on Saturday.

Galadima, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most respected sports administrators, served as President of the NFA between 2002 and 2006. His tenure came after decades of dedicated service to sports development at both state and national levels.

Before leading the NFA, Galadima held several key roles, including Chairman of the Kano State Football Association (1977–1979) and Executive Chairman of the Kano State Sports Council (1981–1983). He also served as 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee between 1985 and 1987.

At the state level, he was Commissioner for Social Welfare, Youth and Sports in Kano State, and later Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport. His influence extended to national assignments, including serving as a member of the Presidential Monitoring Committee for Stadia Development ahead of the FIFA World Youth Championship.

In a tribute, current NFF President Ibrahim Gusau described Galadima’s death as a painful loss to Nigerian sports:

“This is another one that hit us hard. Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima was a mentor to so many of us who are in various leadership positions in Nigeria sports today. He was the epitome of high dignity, diligence and integrity.

We will miss his fatherly advice and words of wisdom dearly.”

Born on June 14, 1951, in Kano, Galadima devoted his life to the advancement of sports in Nigeria, earning admiration for his leadership, discipline, and commitment.

His passing marks the end of an era for Nigerian football, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the country’s sporting landscape.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

See Full Bio