The Confederation of African Football has readmitted the Nigeria Football Federation into the CAF A Coaching Convention, paving the way for the federation to resume organising CAF A coaching courses after a nine-year hiatus, The PUNCH reports.
The CAF A Licence coaching course was last held in Nigeria in 2017.
“We are pleased to inform you that the CAF A course curriculum submitted by NFF has been approved. You can now proceed with submitting a request for a CAF A course through the CMS, subject to an inspection visit,” CAF Coaching Education Project Manager, Jaida Zakaria, wrote in a letter to the NFF on Wednesday.
NFF Head of Coaching Education, Terry Babatunde Eguaoje, described the development as significant for coaching education in the country.
“This is truly huge, after nine years. Admission into the CAF A coaching convention is a big deal. This is in addition to the CAF D, C and B licences that had been approved at various times by CAF,” Eguaoje said.
NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, who is also a CAF coaching instructor, said the federation would immediately begin preparations for the programme.
“We are elated by this positive development for the cause of coaching in our country. The NFF will commence preparations in earnest to put logistics in place for the first CAF A Licence coaching course in this country since 2017,” Sanusi said.
Recently, NFF president Ibrahim Gusau disclosed plans by the federation to organise a CAF A Licence course as well as a CAF B Licence programme for women coaches next year.
Gusau made this known last month while receiving the Director-General of the National Institute for Sports, Philip Shaibu.
Shaibu had visited the NFF secretariat to seek collaboration on the institute’s two-year plan aimed at addressing the coaching gap in Nigerian sports.
“You may be aware that this NFF administration, since inception, has taken the issue of improving our coaches seriously. We have organised a number of coaching courses, including a specific CAF C Licence course for 30 women coaches, who will return for their B Licence programme next year. We are also working hard to secure CAF’s approval to stage a CAF A Licence course very soon,” Gusau said.
Last year, the NFF organised a four-month CAF B Licence coaching course for about 25 coaches.
In 2024, the federation also staged the country’s first CAF C Licence programme exclusively for women, involving 30 female coaches from across Nigeria, including several former internationals. The three-module course was held between July and September 2024.
The participants are expected to return next year for their CAF B Licence upgrade programme.
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