Adamu becomes first Nigerian CAF General Secretary

Samson Adamu has been confirmed as the substantive General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), making history as the first Nigerian to hold this position in the organization’s 70-year history. This confirmation was announced on Thursday, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) congratulated Adamu on his appointment.

The NFF’s acting general secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, described the development as a significant moment for Nigerian football administration. He expressed confidence in Adamu’s ability to excel in his new role. ‘This is, indeed, very good news. I am so happy for Samson Adamu on his confirmation, and I know he is going to make Nigeria and Africa proud,’ Ikpeme stated. ‘The NFF is delighted with this appointment, and we will give him all the necessary support as a member association under CAF. We wish him tremendous success in the job,’ he added.

Prior to this role, Adamu joined CAF as Director of Competitions and later became Director of Tournaments and Events. He assumed the position of acting general secretary on March 29 after the resignation of his predecessor, Veron Mosengo-Omba, a Swiss-Congolese football administrator. Adamu holds a FIFA Master’s degree in the management, law and humanities of sport. He began his career in football administration by establishing the now-defunct Copa Lagos beach soccer tournament in the early 2010s.

This historic appointment is seen as a major step for Nigerian representation within CAF as well as a promising opportunity for the development of football across Africa.