CAF Re-Admits Nigeria Into CAF A Coaching Convention After 9-year Wait

The Confederation of African Football has officially readmitted Nigeria back into the prestigious CAF A Coaching Convention, ending nearly a decade of waiting and paving the way for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to resume CAF A coaching licence courses in the country.

The development has been welcomed as a major breakthrough for coaching education in Nigeria and a significant boost for the growth of football development at all levels.

In a letter addressed to the NFF on Wednesday, CAF’s Coaching Education Project Manager, Jaida Zakaria, confirmed the approval of the curriculum submitted by the federation.

“We are pleased to inform you that the CAF A course curriculum submitted by NFF has been approved,” the letter stated.

“You can now proceed with submitting a request for a CAF A course through the CMS, subject to an inspection visit.”

The approval marks Nigeria’s return to one of Africa’s most important coaching education frameworks after a nine-year absence, during which local coaches were unable to access CAF A certification within the country.

Reacting to the announcement, the NFF’s Head of Coaching Education, Terry Babatunde Eguaoje, described the development as a landmark achievement for Nigerian football.

“This is truly huge after nine years,” Eguaoje said. “Admission into the CAF A coaching convention is a big deal. This comes in addition to the CAF D, C and B licences that had already been approved at different times by CAF.”

The CAF A Licence is regarded as one of the highest coaching qualifications on the continent and is essential for coaches seeking to manage elite clubs and national teams in Africa.

NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, who is also a CAF coaching instructor, said the federation was delighted by the decision and would begin preparations immediately.

“We are elated by this positive development for the cause of coaching in our country,” Sanusi stated.

“The NFF will commence preparations in earnest to put logistics in place for the first CAF A Licence coaching course in Nigeria since 2017.”

The return of the programme is expected to create fresh opportunities for Nigerian coaches to improve their technical expertise without travelling abroad, while also strengthening the standard of coaching across domestic football structures.

Many stakeholders within the country’s football community have long argued that the absence of CAF A courses in Nigeria slowed the development of indigenous coaches and limited their competitiveness at continental level.

With the latest approval now secured, attention will shift towards organising the first set of courses and ensuring Nigerian coaches can once again access top-level coaching education on home soil.