Nigeria fire Super Falcons boss Justine Madugu as World Cup dream turns into a nightmare

NFF has dismissed Super Falcons coach Madugu and his entire technical crew with immediate effect. The decision follows Nigeria's failure to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in history.

The dismissal brings a dramatic end to Madugu's tenure, just one year after he led the Super Falcons to a record-extending 10th WAFCON title. He had taken charge on an interim basis in September 2024 following the resignation of American manager Randy Waldrum.

However, the African champions suffered a sharp downturn at this year's WAFCON, failing to reach the semi-finals before losing 2-1 to South Africa in a play-off. The defeat ended Nigeria's proud record of appearing at every Women's World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1991.

Task force launched to probe failure

In response to the historic elimination, NFF president Ibrahim Gusau inaugurated a fact-finding committee on Monday. The panel has been given two weeks to investigate the direct and remote causes of the collapse.

"You are to probe into the direct and remote causes of the poor outings of the National Teams in recent times, but with specific reference to the unexpected failure of the Super Falcons to qualify for the World Cup," Gusau stated. "You will have two weeks to do the job and submit your report."

Chaired by former NFF general secretary Fanny Amun, the committee includes former Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie and ex-Super Eagles captain Mutiu Adepoju. Amun confirmed the panel would accept public submissions while immersing themselves in the process.

Failure ends proud World Cup record

Nigeria's failure to reach the WAFCON semi-finals stripped them of an automatic qualification spot for the 2027 tournament in Brazil. Their subsequent play-off loss to South Africa officially closed all remaining routes to the global showpiece. The Super Falcons had previously stood as the only African nation to feature in all nine previous editions of the Women's World Cup.


Leadership uncertainty ahead of NFF elections

The crisis within Nigerian football extends far beyond the technical bench, with questions mounting over the federation's leadership. Current NFF officials face uncertainty ahead of elections scheduled for 27 September in Lafia.

ESPN indicate that National Sports Commission officials are considering asking President Bola Tinubu to halt the elections and install a temporary normalisation committee. The NSC has reportedly briefed FIFA regarding the potential intervention.

Under FIFA statutes, any normalisation committee must be formally appointed by FIFA in consultation with CAF to avoid suspension for third-party interference. As the investigative panel prepares its report, Nigerian football faces a crucial period of restructuring.

By Yosua Arya, Yahoo Sports

Video - Nigeria to list NNPC on stock market

Nigeria is reviving plans to list state-owned oil company NNPC on the Nigerian Exchange. The move could bring greater transparency to the company and unlock new private investment.

CGTN Africa

Why boat accidents keep happening in Nigeria

Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has attributed the recurring boat accidents across the country to the failure of passengers and operators to use life jackets, as well as unsafe navigation practices.

Director-General of the NSIB, Capt Alex Badeh Jr, disclosed this during a virtual briefing with newsmen, saying that unlike the aviation sector, where operators implement the bureau’s safety recommendations, the maritime sector continues to record repeated violations of basic safety measures.

He said investigations into aviation accidents have helped prevent similar occurrences because stakeholders acted on the bureau’s recommendations, whereas the same safety lapses continue to recur in the maritime sector.

He said: “Most of the accidents or incidents we have investigated haven’t reoccurred because of those same issues. That’s because those in the aviation sector are taking our investigative reports and addressing them. At least on the aviation side, we’ve not seen the same issue happen over and over again.

“With the maritime sector, however, we continue to see the same issues repeatedly, particularly the failure to use life jackets. I think that has more to do with culture than anything else, but we’re working on it.”

Badeh said the bureau was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to tackle the persistent safety challenges, particularly unsafe navigation during periods of poor visibility.

He said: “We are talking to the relevant stakeholders, and they have shown interest in working with us, especially with the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, on issues such as navigation at night or during sundown.”

Meanwhile, findings by Vanguard showed that no fewer than 70 boat accidents were recorded across Nigeria in 2026, with at least 80 people losing their lives.

Although the figures are unofficial, checks showed that January recorded the highest death toll among the documented incidents, with 35 fatalities, followed by February with 14. Four deaths were recorded in April, 11 in June and six in July.

By Efe Onodjae, Vanguard

Related story:  ‘Over 400 Killed in 6 Months’: The Sorry Cases of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria

Nigeria to Build Armored Vehicles, Counter-Drone Systems Locally

Nigeria is expanding its domestic defense industry with plans to manufacture armored vehicles, counter-drone systems, and other military equipment locally through a new industrial partnership.

The initiative will be led by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria-D7G (DICON-D7G) in collaboration with Eagles International for Defence Systems, DICON-D7G CEO Osman Chennar told The Guardian Nigeria.

The partnership is intended to accelerate technology transfer, strengthen Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity, and reduce reliance on imported defense hardware.

The planned production portfolio includes the MRAP-Buffalo U.10 and M.12 armored vehicles, MRAP-Buffalo F-4, Rhino Guard GXR anti-drone and RPG-protected vehicle, APC Moon PT6, GXR Phantom light vehicle, and the BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Chennar said the production program will create more than 200 jobs, while opening employment opportunities for about 100 retired military personnel.

The long-term goal is to develop enough industrial capacity to supply defense equipment not only to Nigeria’s armed forces but also to other African countries.

Nigeria Boosts Local Defense Production

Nigeria has steadily expanded its domestic defense manufacturing efforts.

In May, the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria unveiled a strategy to expand domestic production of military equipment, citing the DICON Act 2023 as the foundation for greater private-sector participation, technology transfer, and local ammunition and weapons manufacturing.

In March, Nigus International Investment and UAE-based Elmirate Investment signed an agreement worth up to $200 million to establish defense manufacturing capabilities in Nigeria through a new joint venture.

During the same month, Nigerian defense and science officials also agreed to deepen cooperation between military agencies and research institutions to accelerate the development of locally designed defense technologies.

By Jodesz Gavilan, The Defense Post

Tinubu vows to revive Nigeria’s refineries, says plants must return to profitability

President Bola Tinubu has assured that Nigeria’s refineries will be revived, saying the Federal Government is undertaking a comprehensive reset, restructuring and technical assessment to ensure the facilities become productive and profitable.

Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when he received the national executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

The President said the government would not allow the nation’s refineries, which have absorbed huge public investments over the years, to waste away, stressing that their revival must be based on sound research, technical assessment, effective management and a sustainable business model.

Responding to NUPENG’s appeal for the revival of the refineries, Tinubu said the government was adopting a systematic and evidence-based approach to addressing the structural, operational, financial and managerial challenges that had hindered their performance.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm resetting and structural reworking of the economy of it.

“Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean that it’s working until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built.

“I’m not a man who goes looking back on everything because I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it,” he said.

Tinubu appealed to stakeholders, including organised labour, to support the administration’s reform programme, describing democracy as a process that requires patience, sacrifice and collective commitment.

“I promise you, you will enjoy a better Nigeria,” the President said.

On the implementation of local government autonomy, Tinubu said the constitutional issues surrounding its implementation were being reviewed, with a view to possible fine-tuning, and appealed for understanding among stakeholders.

The President also paid tribute to the late former NUPENG leader, Frank Kokori, recalling their shared struggle for the restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria.

“You brought good memories of my relationship with Frank Kokori; may his soul rest in peace. We struggled for this democratic dispensation together, and it was very tough for us to have this democracy, and you have been a very good partner of the government in progress,” he said.

Tinubu further promised greater inclusion for NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), while challenging the union to ensure that the benefits of the programme translate into tangible relief for commuters.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for acknowledging what he described as the positive impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms.

Idris said the recognition by the labour union was significant, particularly against the background of past tensions between organised labour and government over economic policies.

“Your Excellency, it is not common that you find trade unions come back to the President and say, ‘Thank you for what you have done.’ I think this is an uncommon situation,” the minister said.

He recalled that the organised labour movement had previously commended the President after he approved an increase in workers’ wages and indicated that there was no need to wait five years before reviewing the minimum wage.

Idris said it was particularly significant that NUPENG, an influential union at the heart of the petroleum sector, had acknowledged the administration’s major economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy.

“For their leader to come and recognise the reforms that you are doing, especially the major reforms you undertook in this country, the removal of fuel subsidy and also acknowledging that everywhere you go is a construction site in this country, is a good development,” he said.

Speaking earlier, NUPENG President Oladiti commended Tinubu for what he described as the courageous decision to end the fuel subsidy regime, saying the policy had helped halt decades of financial drain on the nation’s resources.

He said the resources freed by the reform were increasingly being channelled into infrastructure and other critical sectors of the economy.

Oladiti particularly praised the administration’s renewed investment in the rehabilitation and construction of federal highways, citing the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all. Every stretch of highway rehabilitated or constructed means fewer accidents, fewer spillages, fewer lives lost, and less stress for the men behind the wheels,” he said.

Oladiti said the impact of the road projects was already being felt by tanker drivers and other road users, describing improved road infrastructure as one of the reforms directly affecting the working lives of NUPENG members.

He, however, urged the President to sustain efforts to revive the country’s refineries, arguing that functional refineries would strengthen national energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more jobs for Nigerian workers.

At the end of the meeting, the NUPENG leadership decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union.

By Terhemba Daka, The Guardian