The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has issued a stern warning to referees and assistant referees across the country, vowing to impose heavy sanctions on any match official whose actions undermine the integrity of the game.
In a memo released by the NFF Refereeing Development Committee and signed by Mohammed Ameenu on behalf of the federation’s president, the NFF expressed serious concern over inconsistent officiating standards in domestic leagues. The memo was circulated to the heads of all league bodies and the NFF General Secretary.
While acknowledging that many referees continue to uphold professionalism and fairness, the federation noted that some officials have engaged in conduct capable of damaging the credibility of Nigerian football.
As part of measures to improve accountability, the NFF president has established a monitoring committee to deploy observers to match venues in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), and Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL). These observers will submit direct assessments on referee performance and behaviour to support disciplinary decisions.
The federation emphasised that all match officials must demonstrate diligence, integrity, and neutrality while on duty, warning that it will adopt a zero-tolerance stance on misconduct.
“Referees and assistant referees are warned that anyone who disregards these guidelines and acts in a manner that compromises the integrity of the game will not only be dismissed from refereeing, but also handed over to security agencies for prosecution on charges relating to sabotage and match manipulation,” the memo stated.
