By The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will officially decorate 30 referees with the prestigious FIFA badge on Thursday morning, granting them the authority to officiate international matches throughout 2025.
The ceremony will be led by NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, alongside key officials including the Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Mrs. Faith Irabor, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, and Head of Refereeing, Alhaji Sani Zubairu.
Among the 30 referees, there are 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, four futsal referees, and four beach soccer referees. The group includes 22 men and eight women, with three female referees and five female assistant referees. All futsal and beach soccer referees are male.
Notably, only three of the referees — Emmanuel Omada (assistant referee), John Tope Ojeleye (futsal referee), and Noah Adejoh (beach soccer referee) — are receiving the FIFA badge for the first time.
Meanwhile, Samuel Pwadutakam (assistant referee) and Ndubuisi Ukah (futsal referee) stand out as the longest-serving officials, having held their FIFA badges since 2014.
The NFF emphasized that the decoration ceremony highlights Nigeria’s continued investment in quality officiating and the development of referees capable of excelling on the global stage.
