For the umpteenth time, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has excluded Nigerian referees from officiating at its continental competitions. The latest snub came with the release of the official list of 94 referees, instructors, and assessors selected for the preparatory course ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Notably, no Nigerian made the cut.
This marks the 19th consecutive year that CAF has overlooked Nigerian referees for major tournaments. For a country often referred to as the “giant of Africa” in sports, this prolonged absence is not just embarrassing, it is a national indictment on the state of football administration and officiating in Nigeria.
The selected referees will gather in Cairo, Egypt, from November 8 to 13 for an intensive training camp designed to sharpen their skills in match management, physical fitness and the use of modern tools such as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The programme underscores CAF’s commitment to maintaining the highest officiating standards at the continental level. Sadly, Nigeria will once again be missing in action, not because it lacks human talent, but because of institutional neglect and administrative indifference.
The continued absence of Nigerian referees from CAF’s elite panels is not accidental. It reflects deep-rooted problems and rot within the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and its Referees Committee. Reports over the years have shown that Nigeria’s refereeing system suffers from poor training structures, inadequate exposure to international standards and limited technological adaptation, especially regarding VAR operations, which have become the global norm.
Even more disturbing is the perception of corruption and bias in domestic officiating. Many local referees are often accused of being compromised, influenced by club officials or lacking the courage to enforce the rules impartially. Such reputational damage inevitably affects international confidence in Nigerian referees, making CAF hesitant to entrust them with high-profile matches.
Certainly, Nigeria has produced outstanding footballers, coaches and administrators who have excelled globally. Therefore, there is no reason why the same cannot be said of referees. But the problem lies not in the lack of capable individuals but in the absence of a clear developmental pathway. Unlike their counterparts in North and Southern Africa, Nigerian referees seldom receive consistent mentorship, exposure to international workshops or the kind of institutional support that sharpens their craft.
Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Algeria have heavily invested in referee development programmes, providing training facilities, simulation labs for VAR practice and transparent selection processes. In contrast, Nigeria’s referees often operate under outdated systems, meagre allowances (which make referees easily prone to monetary and other inducements) and limited opportunities for international collaboration.
To reverse this trend, the NFF must go beyond lip service and make referee development a strategic priority. This requires a deliberate policy shift that includes establishing a National Referee Training Academy equipped with modern facilities and VAR technology, creating a merit-based promotion system that rewards competence and integrity over connections and favouritism and encouraging regular international exchange programmes with CAF and FIFA refereeing departments.
Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Sports should also hold the NFF accountable for Nigeria’s recurring absence from CAF’s refereeing roster. There must be consequences for consistent administrative failures that continue to embarrass the nation on the continental stage.
Nigeria cannot continue to pride itself as a football powerhouse when its referees are perpetually sidelined. The credibility of any football system rests not only on the quality of players or coaches but also on the integrity and professionalism of its officials. Until Nigeria cleans up its domestic refereeing structure, invests in capacity building and embraces global best practices, CAF’s exclusion will persist.