NFF issues 10-year ban warning, vows legal action in crackdown on match manipulation

By Dayo Awoniyi

In a bold move to protect the integrity of Nigerian football, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced strict new measures targeting match manipulation, warning that referees and officials found guilty of misconduct could face a minimum 10-year ban and possible prosecution.

The directive comes as the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), and Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) enter decisive stages, with the Nationwide League One (NLO) set to kick off on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

According to a statement released by Mohammed Ameenu, Secretary of the NFF Refereeing Committee, a high-powered monitoring team has been set up by the NFF President and General Secretary.

Members of the committee will be stationed at match venues across the country to observe and report any deviations from the Laws of the Game or conduct that could undermine the reputation of Nigerian football.

In an unprecedented show of transparency, the federation also confirmed that most domestic matches will be streamed live—allowing fans, media, and independent analysts to scrutinize refereeing decisions in real-time.

“All referees appointed for matches are hereby instructed to uphold the principles of equity, fairness, and justice,” the NFF stated. “You are all warned ahead of time.”

Officials found guilty of manipulating match outcomes or engaging in unethical behavior could face severe penalties, including lengthy bans and potential legal action involving the State Security Services (SSS).

This decisive action signals one of the most aggressive anti-corruption measures by the NFF in recent years, as the federation seeks to restore public confidence and elevate the standards of officiating across all levels of domestic football.

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.

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