John Enoh
Sports

Sports Minister tasks Nigerian referees on participation in FIFA/CAF-flagged competitions

"Sadly, even in the next AFCON, no Nigerian referee was listed to participate in officiating duties by CAF. This is a shame"

553

The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, has challenged Nigerian referees to deepen and strengthen their professionalism to attract greater participation in FIFA and CAF-flagged competitions.

Speaking during his interactive session with the 2024 FIFA Member Association Refereeing Development Course, the minister regretted that Nigerian referees are not playing critical roles in both FIFA and CAF-flagged competitions as a result of failure to reach the performance and professional threshold set out by both international bodies.

He stated that FIFA and CAF’s neglect and marginalization of Nigerian referees in the standing order is unacceptable.

Enoh promised that the current administration would do everything within its power to reverse the ugly trend.

In a statement on Thursday by the Special Assistant on Media, Diana-Mary Nsan, the Minister said his engagement with the referees was part of ongoing efforts to get to the root of the problem and proffer solutions to solve it.

He recalled that on his assumption of office as minister, one of the early engagements that he initiated was to invite referees and critical stakeholders in sports for a parley when his attention was drawn to the fact that no Nigerian referee was considered qualified enough to officiate in the just concluded CAF-flagged African Cup of Nations.

He said, “I thought that this was unacceptable. It was for this reason that I started a series of engagements with referee associations, the NFF, and other critical stakeholders.

“Sadly, even in the next AFCON, no Nigerian referee was listed to participate in officiating duties by CAF. This is a shame. As a country, it is important that we get the right things that we are not doing right to change this ugly narrative.”

He challenged the elite referees to raise the bar in terms of their commitment to improving their professionalism, adding that the government is ready to support and work closely with them to put an end to this neglect.

Responding to the Minister, the lead FIFA Technical Instructor, Mr. Felix Tangwarinma, thanked the Minister for his commitment to the development of Nigerian referees.

He observed that not too long ago, Nigerian referees were doing very well as officials in international competitions but regretted that lack of continuity left a huge gap when they retired.

The FIFA Technical Instructor stated that that training was part of ongoing efforts to close the gap.

He explained that one of the major problems that impacted the relegation of Nigerian referees in FIFA and CAF organized competitions is the fact that, presently, no Nigerian referee is certified to officiate with VAR.

According to him, Nigeria must train its referees with VAR to meet FIFA and CAF’s requirements for the number of hours needed to officiate in championships.

The FIFA instructor informed the Minister that the VAR equipment was very expensive to procure.

Given the significant financial resources, he urged the sports ministry to provide financial support, as the NFF might not have the resources to purchase the necessary number of VARs for the national league.

In the interim, he suggested that Nigeria can bridge the gap by sending referees for VAR training to countries like Morocco and Tunisia while it puts its house in order.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Nigerian Community in South Africa Celebrates Flamingos’ Victory in 2025 U-17 WWC Qualifier

The Nigerian community in South Africa showed remarkable national pride and unity...

Liverpool’s Title March Continues as Salah’s Brilliance Sinks Southampton

Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of the Premier League title continued on Saturday as...

Nottingham Forest Stun Manchester City with Late Hudson-Odoi Winner

In a thrilling encounter at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest dealt a...

Just In: Nigeria Secures Hosting Rights for 2026 World Public Relations Forum

Nigeria has secured the hosting rights for the 2026 World Public Relations...

Nigeria’s U17 Girls Team, Flamingos, Arrive in South Africa for FIFA World Cup Qualifier

The Nigeria U17 girls’ team, Flamingos, has arrived in Pretoria, South Africa,...

Alisson Shines as Liverpool Secures Crucial Champions League Victory in Paris

By Samuel Akpan with agency report Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson put on a...

West Africa’s Top Wrestlers Gather in Abuja for 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Championship

The stage is set for a thrilling display of wrestling prowess as...

El Derbi Madrileno: Real Madrid Edge Out Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Champions League Thriller

By Samuel Akpan with agency report The Santiago Bernabeu was electric as...

Arsenal Stun PSV Eindhoven with 7-1 Thrashing, on Brink of Champions League Quarter-Finals

Samuel Akpan with agency report Arsenal produced a stunning display of attacking...

Super Eagles Coach Chelle Unveils 39-Man Squad for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has announced a provisional list...

IFAB introduces game-changing goalkeeper rule: 8-second countdown to restart play

In a groundbreaking move, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved...

E-Sports in Nigeria Gets Boost as NSC Officially Inaugurates Federation’s Board

In a significant move to advance the country’s sports industry, the National...

Nigerian Footballer Abubakar Lawal’s Death in Uganda Being Investigated – Foreign Affairs Ministry

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the sudden death of Nigerian...

Flying Eagles Arrive in Abidjan for Friendly Matches Against Cote D’Ivoire

Nigeria’s U20 boys, the Flying Eagles, have arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire,...

NSC Leadership Supervises Zonal Elimination for 22nd National Sports Festival

The National Sports Commission (NSC) leadership says it is committed to supervising...

Flamingos vs Bantwana: Kenyan Referee Assigned to U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Pretoria

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Kenyan official, Josephine Wanjiku,...

D’Tigers Secure Afrobasket 2025 Berth, NSC DG Olopade Congratulates Team on Qualification Victory

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has...

Liverpool dominate Man City at the Etihad Stadium, securing 2-0 victory

Liverpool delivered a resounding 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad...

FCT FA Chairman Congratulates Family Worship FC, Naija Ratels FC on President’s Cup Triumph

The Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCT FA), Alhaji...

Gunners’ Title Dreams Dented as West Ham Secure Hard-Fought 1-0 Victory

Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations suffered a significant setback after a 1-0...