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No Nigerian Referees Again: CAF’s AFCON 2025 List Raises Fresh Questions About NFF’s Commitment to Officiating Development
- Authors
- Olonade Philips
No Nigerian Referees Again: CAF’s AFCON 2025 List Raises Fresh Questions About NFF’s Commitment to Officiating Development
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released its official list of referees, video match officials (VMOs), instructors, and committee members who will take part in the AFCON 2025 preparation course, but once again, no Nigerian official made the cut.
The five-day training camp will be held from November 8 to 13 in Cairo, Egypt, as CAF intensifies efforts to maintain high officiating standards ahead of the continental showpiece scheduled for December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026 in Morocco.
However, Nigeria’s continued absence from the refereeing scene has become a recurring concern among football observers and analysts.
According to Brila.net, this marks 19 years since a Nigerian referee last officiated at the centre of Africa’s biggest football tournament, a worrying trend that many see as a reflection of deeper structural problems in the country’s football administration.
Who Made the List?
CAF’s latest officiating pool includes some of the continent’s most respected referees — from Algeria’s Mustapha Ghorbal to Ghana’s Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea and Morocco’s Jalal Jayed. These names represent the crème of African refereeing, combining experience, consistency, and international exposure.
A detailed feature by Afrik-Foot highlighted the dominance of North and West African officials — notably from Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, and Algeria — whose representatives have consistently handled high-profile CAF and FIFA assignments.
Yet, no Nigerian appears on the list of referees, assistant referees, or VAR specialists.
Why Are Nigerian Referees Missing?
Experts point to several factors behind Nigeria’s refereeing drought:
Inconsistent domestic officiating standards.
Limited international exposure for local referees.
Inadequate investment in referee development by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Poor implementation of VAR training and fitness programs.
While CAF continues to refine its officiating systems, the NFF has faced mounting criticism for not matching these efforts locally. The Daily Post recently reported that the federation is already under fire over the alleged misuse of FIFA development funds in the Kebbi Stadium project, a scandal that further questions its commitment to infrastructural and technical growth.
Looking Ahead
As the selected officials gather in Cairo for the November training camp, the message to the NFF is clear: CAF’s doors aren’t closed, but Nigeria must do more to earn its place back among the continent’s refereeing elite.
Until then, Nigerian referees will continue to be spectators rather than participants in Africa’s grandest football stage.