Gusau Pledges Grassroots Coaching Revolution as NFF Concludes CAF B Refresher Course
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots football development and accessible coaching education pathways.
He made the pledge at the closing ceremony of the CAF B-License Refresher Course, which concluded on Wednesday evening in Abuja.
Gusau expressed gratitude to participants and stakeholders for their dedication, noting that coaching education in Nigeria has made significant strides since his administration assumed office.
‘When we came in, the situation was not particularly great with regards to coaching education. I believe you can all attest to the fact that significant progress has been made in this area, with the numerous courses we have had and our country’s return to the CAF A-License convention,’ he said.
The NFF President assured coaches who had completed the CAF B course in previous years but had not received certificates that the Federation is working closely with CAF to resolve the issue. He emphasized that every eligible coach will be duly certificated.
Highlighting the Federation’s new approach, Gusau announced that the NFF now has enough qualified instructors to decentralize CAF B training programmes.
Courses will be delivered at state, zonal, and local government levels, eliminating the need for coaches to travel to Abuja.
‘You can be in your state, and the course will be at your doorstep. We need to educate our grassroots coaches. That is the way to go for holistic development of the game,’ he declared.
He further stressed that football education is evolving, becoming more scientific and technical, and urged coaches to stay updated with modern methods.
While CAF regulations limit the number of participants for the A-License course, Gusau promised inclusivity in the Federation’s development agenda, ensuring that all coaches benefit from ongoing reforms.
The four-day refresher course, which began on Sunday, refreshed a total of 50 coaches in two streams. The closing ceremony was attended by NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi MON, NFF Technical Director Coach Augustine Eguavoen, Head of Coaching Education Dr Terry Eguaoje, Director of Media and Communications Dr Ademola Olajire, Coach Abdulrafiu Yusuf, and President of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Coach Ladan Bosso.
