NFRA Charts Bold Path for Refereeing Reform in Nigeria, Unveils Strategic Recommendations to NFF
The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association (NFRA) has outlined a comprehensive set of recommendations to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees Committee aimed at strengthening the standards, professionalism, and future development of refereeing in the country.
Among the key proposals is a call for only referees aged 23 and above, who have successfully passed NFRA examinations without skipping grades, to be recommended by FIFA for international listing.
Such referees, the NFRA stressed, should be assigned to principled and upstanding retired FIFA referees for mentorship.
The NFRA also emphasized the need to work closely with the NFF Referees Committee to establish measured standards for testing and selection, while ensuring that recommendations from FIFA and CAF instructors during training courses in Nigeria are fully implemented.
In its report, the association recommended that any Nigerian FIFA referee who remains inactive for two consecutive years, despite opportunities at WAFU or CAF level, should be replaced.
The NFRA further proposed collaboration with the NFF to train instructors at local and regional levels, thereby easing the burden on international trainers and ensuring knowledge transfer nationwide.
Another major innovation is the establishment of a Referees Talent Hub, an academy designed to identify and nurture young Grade One male and female referees with exceptional skills, fitness, IT proficiency, and educational standards.
The Talent Hub, according to the NFRA, will serve as a grooming ground for future refereeing stars for national and international projects.
Special attention was also given to women referees, with the NFRA calling for tailored training programs to ensure only qualified female officials handle matches in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).
The association pledged to monitor the ranking of Nigerian referees in CAF and FIFA competitions, maintain a database of emerging talents, and introduce structured educational and e-learning programs to aid referee development.
NFRA Acting President, Sir Mejuobi, congratulated the appointed committee members and urged them to view the assignment as a renewed call to service and sacrifice. He noted that their contributions would play a decisive role in shaping the fortunes of referees in Nigeria in the coming years.
The committee is expected to present an interim action plan to the National Executive within six weeks.
