Fresh details have emerged regarding why the Confederation of African Football (CAF) once again excluded Nigerian referees from its training and preparation programme ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
CAF, on Friday, released a list of 94 referees, instructors, and assessors selected for the intensive pre-tournament training, with no Nigerian official included. The development has raised concerns within Nigeria’s football community, especially as it marks yet another year without local representation at CAF’s elite level.
Speaking on the issue, Sanni Zubair, President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), admitted that the country’s referees failed to meet CAF’s stringent requirements for selection.
“It is because we are not qualified to be there,” Zubair said. “Being a FIFA referee doesn’t mean you are qualified. The only elite referee that we have, when they went for the tests, he didn’t pass the test.”
Zubair explained that CAF’s selection criteria focused heavily on fitness standards, theoretical tests, and experience with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, all of which Nigerian referees are still working to master.
He added that efforts are ongoing in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to raise the standard of officiating in the country.
“Yes, we have referees in the country, but it’s like being in a university where we have different levels,” he said. “Every year we have people moving from one level to another. We have courses and exams, and hopefully, they will be invited to the elite tests soon.”
Earlier this year, the NFF awarded FIFA badges to 30 referees, including 11 referees, 11 assistants, four futsal referees, and four beach soccer referees. Despite this recognition, none made CAF’s elite training list.
A FIFA-badged Nigerian referee, who spoke anonymously, argued that politics within CAF may also play a role in the continued exclusion.
“Some countries have just two or three referees — it’s not like they are better,” he said. “Aside from AFCON, our referees are still getting CAF assignments. The NFF is trying to organise more courses, but they also need to play the politics up there as well.”
