Emmanuel Ikpeme Named Acting NFF General Secretary After Sanusi’s Resignation
The Nigeria Football Federation NFF has moved to ensure continuity in the administration of the federation following the resignation of its General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, with Deputy General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, MON, set to assume the role in an acting capacity, according to reports.
Ikpeme is expected to officially resume as Acting General Secretary on Friday, August 28, 2026, following Sanusi’s resignation in Abuja on Wednesday. His appointment is part of measures to maintain the day-to-day operations of the football governing body pending the next phase of the federation’s administrative process. Ikpeme is expected to oversee the NFF Secretariat and coordinate its daily activities while the federation awaits further developments concerning the proposed Normalisation Committee to be named by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
A respected administrator and academic, Ikpeme brings considerable experience to the position. He lectured at the University of Calabar for several years before serving as the Sole Administrator of the Cross River State Sports Council, where he gained further experience in sports administration. He joined the NFF in 2007 when he was appointed Deputy Secretary-General Technical, a position he held before rising to become Deputy General Secretary in March 2015. Over the years, Ikpeme has been involved in the technical and administrative affairs of Nigerian football, making his elevation to the acting position a move that provides the NFF with an experienced hand at the Secretariat during a period of transition. His immediate responsibility will be to ensure that the federation’s administrative machinery continues to function effectively and that ongoing programmes, competitions and engagements with stakeholders are not disrupted by the change in leadership at the Secretariat.
The development comes at a significant moment for Nigerian football, with the NFF facing many administrative and sporting responsibilities at both domestic and international levels. Sanusi’s resignation brings to an end his tenure as the federation’s General Secretary and leaves Ikpeme to provide interim leadership at the Secretariat until a substantive arrangement is reached. Further details on the administrative transition are expected from the NFF and the National Sports Commission in the coming days.
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