The Osun State Football Association (Osun FA) has approved the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment as the only recognized method of age verification for all age-group football tournaments in the state.
The move is aimed at tackling the long-standing issue of age falsification in grassroots football and strengthening fairness, integrity, and credibility in youth competitions across Osun State.
The Board, led by Sola Fanawopo, has directed the Association’s Secretary and management staff to implement the policy with immediate effect. All Local Government Football Councils have also been formally instructed to comply fully with the new directive.
Under the new regulation, only players who have completed their NIN enrolment and can provide valid documentation will be eligible to feature in age-grade competitions organized under the auspices of Osun FA.
The Association has called on clubs, academies, coaches, and parents to support the initiative, emphasizing that the policy is in the best interest of genuine player development and the overall growth of football in the state.
Osun FA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting transparency, discipline, and professionalism at every level of the game.
This will be the first time that NIN will be adopted as means of tackling age falsification in Nigeria by any state FA.
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.
