NFF presidency: Kunle Soname leads a three-horse race after Gusau exit
The NFF leadership race is gathering momentum, with Kunle Soname reportedly emerging as the preferred candidate amid competition from Amaju Pinnick and Segun Odegbami.
The race to determine the next interim president of the Nigeria Football Federation has intensified following the reported resignation of Ibrahim Gusau, with Hon. Kunle Soname, former NFF president Amaju Pinnick and ex-Nigeria international Segun Odegbami emerging among the names being discussed for the position.
Reports suggest the National Sports Commission is favourably disposed towards Kunle Soname, whose growing influence in Nigerian football is built around private investment, club administration and youth development.
Soname is the proprietor of Remo Stars and Beyond Limits Football Academy and also owns Portuguese club Clube Desportivo Feirense, giving him experience that spans Nigerian and European football.
His Beyond Limits project has developed into one of the country’s prominent youth football programmes, while Remo Stars have established themselves as a significant force in domestic football having won the NPFL title in 2025.
Pinnick would bring extensive federation and continental experience to the contest, having led the NFF after his election in 2014 and subsequent re-election in 2018, while also serving in senior CAF and FIFA-related roles.
Odegbami, meanwhile, offers the perspective of a former Super Eagles star and veteran football administrator who previously expressed an ambition to contest the FIFA presidency.
With the federation facing a leadership transition, the choice of interim leadership could prove significant in shaping the direction of Nigerian football ahead of major international and domestic commitments.
Kunle Soname’s reported backing is particularly noteworthy because his football activities have extended beyond conventional club ownership into infrastructure, talent development and international club administration.
However, with the situation still developing, the final decision and the process for appointing an interim NFF president remain subject to official confirmation.
