TOP FIVE STATE FA CHAIRMEN IN NIGERIA. A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, IMPACT AND FOOTBALL LEGACIES
September 25, 2026
FROM THE PLATEAU GRASSROOTS TO FIFA: WHY SULEIMAN KWANDE’S FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT RECORD DESERVES GLOBAL RECOGNITION
September 25, 2026
KWANDE, GALADIMA, MAJEK AND SHARIF INUWA HEADLINE NIGERIA’S TOP TEN OUTSTANDING FA CHAIRMEN
A closer look at the football development records of the administrators who occupy positions six to ten
By: Adewale Ajayi
The list of Nigeria’s Top Five Outstanding Football Association Chairmen has continued to generate debate across the Nigerian football community.
While many football stakeholders have applauded the effort to identify administrators who are making meaningful contributions to the development of the game in their respective states, others have argued that some outstanding names were missing from the original top-five list.
And that reaction is understandable.
Nigeria has a large football ecosystem, and across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, there are administrators quietly working to develop players, clubs, competitions, referees, coaches and grassroots football structures.
It would therefore be difficult to restrict a serious assessment of football administration in Nigeria to only five individuals.
That is why this writer has decided to take the exercise a step further.
Following the publication of the top-five list, this is the second segment, covering numbers six to ten.
The selection is based primarily on football-development activities, grassroots structures, talent identification, competitions, support for clubs, youth development and the ability to create a functioning football ecosystem within their respective jurisdictions.
At No. 6 is Plateau State FA Chairman, Honourable Suleiman Yahaya Kwande.
At No. 7 is Nasarawa State FA Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Usman Galadima.
At No. 8 is Ogun State FA Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi.
At No. 9 is Kano State FA Chairman, Dr. Sharif Rabiu Inuwa Ahlan.
At No. 10 is Gombe State FA Chairman, Alhaji Filibus Yakubu Sarma.
Here is the football-development case for each of them.
NO. 6 — SULEIMAN YAHAYA KWANDE
PLATEAU STATE
If grassroots football development is the principal measurement, then Suleiman Kwande’s inclusion on this list is difficult to ignore.
Kwande’s football administration on the Plateau has been characterised by an emphasis on grassroots competitions, talent identification, youth football, women’s football, referee development, club support and the use of football as an instrument for peace and social cohesion.
His football journey also predates his current position.
He previously served as chairman of Mighty Jets International, during the period when the club secured promotion to Nigeria’s top division in 2004. In his present capacity as Plateau FA chairman, he has continued to maintain a relationship with the club and publicly supported its attempts to return to the elite league. In 2024, he visited the team and provided financial assistance ahead of an away fixture.
His strongest area: grassroots talent identification
One of Kwande’s most notable contributions has been his insistence that Plateau’s football development must start from the grassroots.
In 2024, the Plateau FA participated in the FIFA Talent Development Scheme’s Under-15 screening exercise. Twenty-four teams, with 35 players each, participated, and 35 players were selected to represent Plateau at the next stage.
That is particularly significant because it creates a direct bridge between local football and the national talent-development pathway.
His administration has also supported competitions designed to identify players from communities and local government areas.
The 2026 Jos South Chairman’s Cup, for example, was positioned as a grassroots platform, with Plateau United and Mighty Jets invited to monitor matches and scouts expected to attend in search of promising players.
Football as a tool for peace
Another distinctive feature of Kwande’s approach is the use of football beyond the traditional objective of producing players.
He has supported competitions involving security agencies, with the stated objective of strengthening relationships between security personnel and communities.
During one such competition, Kwande said the PFA had identified players with potential for professional football and intended to recommend them for further opportunities.
Academic research published in 2026 has also documented Kwande’s earlier involvement in grassroots tournaments in Plateau, including a major post-Jos-crisis tournament involving more than 90 teams, describing football as part of wider peace-building efforts.
Reviving forgotten competitions
Kwande has also shown interest in reviving competitions with historical significance.
The Plateau FA moved to revive the Igbo League in Jos, a competition historically associated with the discovery of players, with Kwande stressing football’s role in youth development, peace and economic empowerment.
Support for players and officials
His involvement has not been restricted to competitions.
In 2024, Kwande visited the Plateau State Under-15 team preparing for the National Youth Games and provided equipment including balls, training bibs, shin guards and cones.
He also visited the Plateau State Referees Council during its fitness exercise ahead of the league season.
Assessment
Kwande’s strongest argument is therefore not simply the success of one club.
It is the attempt to build an ecosystem in which young players can be discovered, competitions can be revived, referees can be supported and football can serve wider social purposes.
That grassroots emphasis is why he occupies the sixth position on this list.
NO. 7 — SALISU USMAN GALADIMA
NASARAWA STATE
If there is one word that best describes Salisu Usman Galadima’s period as chairman of the Nasarawa State Football Association, it is continuity.
Under his administration, Nasarawa’s football structure has continued to operate around professional clubs, grassroots competitions and youth development.
Galadima has consistently spoken about the importance of collaboration between the Football Association, government and football stakeholders.
In 2024, he publicly renewed his commitment to football development and pledged that the FA would continue to introduce activities designed to promote football across the state. He also stressed an inclusive approach and partnerships with relevant organisations.
Nasarawa United’s consistency
One of the major indicators of football strength in Nasarawa is the presence and competitiveness of Nasarawa United.
The club’s fortunes have fluctuated over the years, but the state has continued to maintain a professional football presence.
The 2025 State FA Cup provided another example.
Nasarawa United defeated FC Basira to retain the State FA Cup, winning the competition for the 14th time.
The following year, Nasarawa United again retained the trophy, making it a 15-time winner of the state’s major knockout competition. Galadima presented the trophy to the club captain.
FC Basira and the wider club structure
The development story in Nasarawa is not only about Nasarawa United.
FC Basira’s rise into the Nigeria National League has provided another pathway for players in the state.
Reports in 2024 noted that Basira had secured promotion to the NNL after spending more than five seasons in the Nationwide League structure.
That creates a more competitive football environment and gives players another professional platform.
Women’s football
The Nasarawa football structure also benefits from the presence of Nasarawa Amazons, one of the prominent women’s clubs in Nigeria.
In 2026, Nasarawa Amazons won the National FA Cup, defeating Heartland Queens on penalties in the final.
Galadima was among the state football stakeholders present for the historic occasion.
That success gives Nasarawa a particularly interesting profile because the state’s football identity extends across both men’s and women’s football.
Grassroots tournaments
Nasarawa has also continued to host grassroots competitions.
The CSP Yakubu Agabi Mailafia Peace and Unity Tournament, for example, featured 32 teams from Nasarawa’s southern and northern senatorial districts, providing young players with a competitive platform.
Galadima and other football stakeholders attended the competition and supported the emphasis on grassroots development.
Assessment
Galadima’s record is strengthened by the fact that Nasarawa continues to possess a football structure involving Nasarawa United, Nasarawa Amazons, FC Basira and grassroots competitions.
The chairman himself has credited much of the state’s progress to the support of Governor Abdullahi Sule, an important reminder that football administration is often a partnership between the FA, government, clubs and private stakeholders.
For maintaining and developing that ecosystem, Galadima takes the seventh position.
NO. 8 — GANIYU MAJEKODUNMI
OGUN STATE
Ganiyu Majekodunmi is arguably one of the more experienced administrators on this list.
He has served for several years as chairman of the Ogun State Football Association and has also represented the Southwest on the NFF Executive Committee.
His strongest argument is the institutionalisation of youth and grassroots football competitions.
Catching them young
Majekodunmi has repeatedly emphasised the philosophy of discovering players at an early age.
The Ogun FA’s KAAF age-grade competition has become an important component of its youth programme, involving both boys and girls.
After the 2024 preliminary rounds, Majekodunmi specifically praised the talent on display and highlighted the need for better monitoring and projection of the young players. He also drew attention to the quality of the female teams.
A youth football committee
In 2024, Ogun FA established a 17-member Youth Football Committee to oversee youth football affairs.
The committee’s stated objective was to strengthen youth development, talent discovery and nurturing, targeting players in the 11–20 age bracket.
That is important because it moves youth development from occasional tournaments towards an administrative structure.
Ogun State Youth League
The FA has also pursued a state youth league.
Majekodunmi described youth development as a central part of the FA’s developmental programme and called for consistency in running the league.
By 2026, the Ogun State Under-19 League had expanded to 39 teams, with participating academies and clubs drawn from Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro and Ota/Igbesa.
The competition was organised across five centres.
That scale demonstrates a considerable youth-football footprint.
Coach development
Another important achievement is the partnership between the Ogun FA and JC International Academy.
The agreement was designed to develop grassroots coaches and train and retrain instructors in modern coaching methods.
This is particularly important because producing talented players without producing competent coaches creates an incomplete football-development system.
FA Cup and academy football
Ogun’s football environment has also benefited from the emergence of strong academy football.
Beyond Limits Football Academy won the Ogun State FA Cup in 2024 and again in 2026, when it defeated Stormers SC 2–1 in the final.
Beyond Limits subsequently won the Gothia Cup in Sweden in 2026, successfully defending its previous title. Majekodunmi described the achievement as an important advertisement for football development in Ogun.
While the success of a privately operated academy cannot be attributed solely to the FA chairman, the existence of a competitive state football environment provides the platform in which such clubs operate.
Assessment
Majekodunmi’s strongest area is youth football infrastructure.
From age-grade competitions to youth leagues, coaching development and collaboration with academies, his administration has maintained an emphasis on developing players before they reach senior football.
That earns him the eighth position.
NO. 9 — SHARIF RABIU INUWA AHLAN
KANO STATE
Kano is one of Nigeria’s traditional football powerhouses.
Any assessment of football administration in the state therefore comes with enormous expectations.
Dr Sharif Rabiu Inuwa Ahlan has built his football administration around competitions, grassroots structures and broader technical involvement.
The Ahlan football competitions
One of the clearest signatures of his administration has been the creation and expansion of competitions carrying the Ahlan name.
In 2022, Kano hosted a major football fiesta involving the Ahlan Unity Cup, Ahlan League I and Ahlan League II, with the programme designed to promote grassroots football.
The continuation and expansion of the state league structure is perhaps an even stronger indication of institutional development.
For the 2026/27 season, 60 teams were drawn into 10 groups for the Kano State Ahlan League One.
The restructuring was explicitly linked to the leadership of Sharif Ahlan and was presented as part of efforts to improve the organisation and standard of football competitions in Kano.
Developing Kano’s football pyramid
The importance of having dozens of teams competing regularly cannot be underestimated.
A football state needs a pyramid.
Young players need somewhere to play before they reach Kano Pillars or another professional club.
Clubs need competitive fixtures.
Scouts need competitions to monitor.
Coaches need environments in which to develop.
And the FA needs a system through which players can move upward.
The Ahlan League structure attempts to provide that base.
Supporting infrastructure
Ahlan has also been involved in football-facility development.
In 2024, he inspected the Dambatta Stadium, home of NNL side Barau FC, including the main bowl, dressing rooms, media gallery, indoor sports hall and other facilities.
He described the development as capable of upgrading football infrastructure in Kano North.
Kano and national football administration
Ahlan’s influence also extends beyond the state.
He has served in senior NFF technical roles, including chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee.
In that capacity, he has been involved in national technical-development activities and match-commissioner programmes.
He has also represented the NFF leadership in discussions around grassroots and women’s football development.
Recognition from clubs
In 2025, Barau FC presented Ahlan with a merit award during the Kano State FA Annual General Assembly in recognition of his contribution to football development in Kano and beyond.
Assessment
Kano’s football administration is naturally judged against the enormous history of the state.
Ahlan’s strongest argument is the effort to maintain a broad competition structure and create opportunities beyond the established professional clubs.
The Ahlan League, in particular, represents an attempt to create a deeper grassroots-to-senior pathway.
That places him ninth.
NO. 10 — FILIBUS YAKUBU SARMA
GOMBE STATE
Rounding off the list is Gombe State Football Association Chairman Alhaji Filibus Yakubu Sarma.
Gombe’s football story has traditionally revolved around Gombe United, but under Sarma’s administration the FA has increasingly placed emphasis on creating a wider football structure.
Multiple levels of competition
One of the most interesting developments in Gombe is the attempt to create a structured league pyramid.
The Gombe FA now operates competitions including:
- State League 1
- State League 2
- Statewide League 3
- Super League
The stated objective is to provide a pathway through which young players can progress from grassroots football into professional football.
That is precisely the kind of structure required in a modern football association.
Instead of having a single state competition, clubs can operate at different levels and players can potentially progress through the system.
Two professional clubs
Gombe also has two professional league representatives, giving the state’s grassroots structure a potential destination for emerging talent.
The relationship between the grassroots and professional levels becomes particularly important in such an environment.
A player discovered in a local competition needs somewhere to go.
The presence of professional clubs provides that possibility.
Supporting competitions across the state
Sarma has also supported local competitions.
In 2024, he was honoured during the Big-League Soccer Cup final in Kaltungo for his contribution to football development, while also donating the trophy for the competition.
Gombe United and Doma United
Sarma has also maintained a strong focus on the state’s professional clubs.
In 2023, he congratulated Gombe United and Doma United for maintaining their NPFL status after a difficult abridged season, describing their achievements as important for the Gombe football family.
Assessment
Sarma’s strongest contribution is the attempt to broaden the football pyramid in Gombe.
The development of State League 1, State League 2, Statewide League 3 and the Super League gives the state a more structured grassroots pathway.
It is a development that could become increasingly important if the system consistently produces players for Gombe’s professional clubs.
For that reason, Sarma completes the top ten at number ten.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Looking at these five administrators together reveals something interesting about Nigerian football.
They do not all have identical records.
Their states do not have identical football cultures.
Their resources are different.
Their professional clubs are different.
And their approaches to administration are different.
But there are common themes.
- GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL
Kwande’s Plateau model places heavy emphasis on grassroots competitions and talent identification.
Majekodunmi’s Ogun FA has developed age-grade and youth competitions.
Ahlan has built an extensive league structure in Kano.
Sarma is developing multiple levels of competition in Gombe.
Galadima’s Nasarawa continues to operate grassroots competitions alongside professional and women’s football structures.
- TALENT IDENTIFICATION
The modern football administrator cannot simply wait for talent to appear.
The talent must be found.
Plateau’s FIFA U-15 Talent Development Scheme screening is a particularly clear example of a formal talent-identification pathway.
Ogun’s age-grade competitions perform a similar function, while Kano and Gombe’s expanded league structures give young players more opportunities to be observed.
- DEVELOPING THE ENTIRE FOOTBALL ECOSYSTEM
Players are not the only people who need development.
Coaches need education.
Referees need training.
Match commissioners need development.
Administrators need structures.
Facilities need investment.
Majekodunmi’s coaching partnership and Kwande’s support for referees are examples of this wider approach.
- PROFESSIONAL CLUBS NEED GRASSROOTS
A state cannot depend indefinitely on one professional club.
The future requires a pipeline.
Nasarawa has Nasarawa United, Nasarawa Amazons and FC Basira.
Gombe has Gombe United and Doma United.
Kano has Kano Pillars and a growing network of lower-level clubs.
Plateau has Plateau United and Mighty Jets.
Ogun has a strong academy and club ecosystem.
The challenge for all five administrators is therefore to make the connection between grassroots competitions and professional football increasingly efficient.
THE VERDICT: NUMBERS SIX TO TEN
The purpose of this list is not to suggest that these five administrators are perfect or that their records are beyond criticism.
Football administration should always be subjected to scrutiny.
Rather, this ranking recognises the documented football-development activities and structures associated with their respective administrations.
And on that basis, the second half of our Top Ten reads:
- Suleiman Yahaya Kwande — Plateau State
Key strength: Grassroots development, talent identification, peace-building through football and support for clubs and officials.
- Salisu Usman Galadima — Nasarawa State
Key strength: Maintaining a broad football ecosystem involving professional men’s football, women’s football, grassroots competitions and emerging clubs.
- Ganiyu Majekodunmi — Ogun State
Key strength: Youth football, age-grade competitions, coach development and the creation of structured youth pathways.
- Sharif Rabiu Inuwa Ahlan — Kano State
Key strength: Expansion of grassroots league structures and the Ahlan competition system, alongside wider national technical responsibilities.
- Philibus Yakubu Sarma — Gombe State
Key strength: Building a multi-level state football pyramid and strengthening the connection between grassroots football and professional clubs.
THE FINAL QUESTION
Perhaps the most important question is not who is number six and who is number ten?
The bigger question is:
What kind of football administration does Nigeria need?
Is it one that simply manages competitions?
Or one that creates competitions?
Is it one that waits for talented players to emerge?
Or one that goes looking for them?
Is it one that concentrates on senior football?
Or one that builds the pathway from school and community football to the professional game?
The answers to those questions will ultimately determine the legacy of Nigeria’s football administrators.
For Kwande, Galadima, Majekodunmi, Ahlan and Sarma, the records show five different approaches to the same fundamental challenge:
how to turn Nigeria’s enormous football talent into a sustainable football development system.
And that conversation is one that Nigerian football can no longer afford to ignore.
