The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to continually enhancing the technical knowledge of Nigerian coaches in the beautiful game. He has pledged to conduct a CAF A Licence coaching course before the expiration of his tenure in September next year.
Gusau made this announcement at the graduation ceremony of 25 coaches who have successfully completed their CAF B Licence coaching course at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja. He urged the graduates to apply what they have learned during the seven-month programme, which comprised four modules.
The first module of the course took place from 7th to 12th April, while the second module commenced on 6th October and concluded on 10th October. The third module was held from 20th to 24th October, and the fourth and final module took place from 3rd November.
“I take pride in our achievements thus far, and although we have a year remaining in our tenure, I remain hopeful that, by the grace of God, we will reach our intended goals. Since assuming office, we have facilitated the CAF B, CAF C, and CAF D Licence programmes. The CAF C was exclusively for women – an important step considering Nigeria’s prominence in women’s football across Africa.
“We are diligently working with the technical department, coaches, and instructors to initiate the CAF A Licence course within the first quarter of the upcoming year,” he assured.
The NFF president expressed satisfaction with the successful conclusion of the CAF B Licence course, following positive feedback from the CAF Education Officer, Mr. Honour Janza, who noted the impressive level of commitment and professionalism displayed by the participating coaches throughout the programme.
Gusau encouraged the coaches to apply their knowledge in practice, expressing a desire to see them represented in coaching roles in other African countries. “We aspire not only for our coaches to gain certificates but also to engage internationally, sharing ideas and knowledge. There are coaches, such as one from Tanzania involved in this course, whom we hope to see coaching in various clubs across Africa.”
The Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation and former Super Eagles handler, Augustine Eguavoen, emphasised the importance of continuous learning, noting that football is an ever-evolving sport and being a good coach requires more than just technical knowledge of the game.
