To be badged on Wednesday in Abuja
Brutal assault: The incidence of referees being beaten up by fans during Nigerian local games is rife
A total of 29 Nigerian referees will, on Wednesday, 1st February, receive their badges to operate as FIFA match officials for the year 2023 at a special ceremony inside the NFF Secretariat, Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
A total of seven of them will be badged as FIFA referees, while another seven will be decorated as FIFA assistant referees. Four are FIFA women referees, and three are FIFA women assistant referees. Four are FIFA beach soccer referees, while another four are FIFA futsal referees.
Only two arbiters are new to the top rank: Muhammed Yakubu and Tijjani Ahmad, who will operate as FIFA assistant referees.
FIFA Referees: Ogabor Joseph; Nurudeen Abubakr; Quadri Adebimpe; Kassim Abdulsalam; Abdullahi Abubakar; Bashir Salihu; Grema Mohammed
FIFA Assistant Referees: Samuel Pwadutakam; Usman Abdulmajeed; Efosa Igudia Celestine; Hope Igho; Tejiri Digbori; Muhammed Yakubu; Tijjani Ahmad
FIFA Beach Soccer Referees: Jelili Ogunmuyiwa; Fawole Olawale; Olayinka Olajide; Rabiu Ahmad
FIFA Futsal Referees: Bello Zuru Alhassan; Musa Dung Davou; Paul Umuago; Uhah Ndubuisi
FIFA Women Referees: Ndidi Patience; Hannah Eliagwu; Olufunmilayo Alaba; Yemisi Akintoye
FIFA Women Assistant Referees: Mfon Friday Akpan; Beauty Kabenda Terah; Abibat Yusuf
The local game is affected by either outright poor refereeing or corrupt match officials who have consistently thrown local football into disrepute and have drastically reduced the standard of local football and spectatorship at local games.
