CAF restores Nigeria’s Grade A coaching licence programme after nine-year break
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has received approval to resume the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Grade A coaching licence programme for eligible candidates in the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NFF said Nigeria had been unable to organise the coaching course since 2017.
The CAF Grade A licence is the second-highest coaching qualification on the continent, ranking just below the CAF Pro Licence. It is a mandatory requirement for coaches seeking to manage teams in competitions such as the men’s and women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CAF Champions League, and other elite CAF tournaments.
In a letter addressed to the NFF, Jaida Zakaria, CAF’s coaching education project manager, said the next stage is for Nigeria to formally apply to host a CAF A coaching course and prepare for an inspection visit by the continental football body.
Mohammed Sanusi, NFF general secretary, welcomed the development, describing it as a major boost for coaching education in Nigeria.
“We are elated by this positive development for the cause of coaching in our country,” Sanusi said.
“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.”
Last month, the National Institute for Sports (NIS) announced a partnership with the NFF aimed at addressing what it described as a “two-million coaching gap” in Nigerian sports over the next two years.