WAFU-B Elated As Gusau Commits To Vehicle For VAR Equipment Transportation

The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and leader of the subregional WAFU-B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, generated significant excitement among football officials and enthusiasts in the region yesterday by announcing that the NFF will procure a truck to facilitate the transportation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) equipment. This equipment is currently stored at the zone’s headquarters in Abidjan and will be shared across member nations.

“It is essential to address a pressing issue regarding our referees in WAFU-B. A major challenge they face is the lack of adequate VAR training. In collaboration with the NFF, we will strive to acquire a truck to enable the movement of this equipment to member countries of WAFU-B, allowing us to train their referees in VAR operations,” Gusau stated during the opening ceremony of a three-day CAF Women’s Football Administrators workshop in Abuja.

“This initiative will benefit both male and female referees by providing comprehensive VAR training, thus raising the standard of officiating in our region,” he added.

Gusau also urged participants—leaders of women’s football from seven WAFU-B countries—to dedicate themselves to nurturing the sport from the grassroots level. “We must implement decisive measures to harness the talent of young female players, as this is the only pathway for progression from youth to senior levels.”

“I trust that all participants will engage fully to ensure a productive, enriching, and inspiring workshop, so that we can build stronger structures, create more opportunities, and elevate women’s football in West Africa to the level it deserves,” he continued.

He emphasised that the participants were selected for their crucial roles in developing pathways for girls and women, turning strategic visions into everyday realities.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi MON, encouraged attendees to pay close attention to each presentation and return to their respective countries equipped with ideas to transform the women’s game.

Mr Philippe Tchere, Executive Director of WAFU-B, commended Gusau for his commitment and expressed optimism for the future of refereeing in West Africa. “The decision to provide a truck for transporting VAR equipment to member countries is the highlight of the week for me. God bless President Gusau. God bless Nigeria.”

The workshop also featured renowned Nigeria football legend Precious Dede, WAFU-B’s Football Development Manager, along with CAF instructors Jules McGeever from England and Thuba Sibanda from Zimbabwe, who are facilitating the three-day conference.

Notable attendees included CAF’s Head of Women’s Football, Goshime Meskerem; President of the WAFU-B Women’s Football Commission, Amina Amani; NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire; and NFF’s Director of Competitions, Ms Ruth David.