Nigerian football administrator Samson Adamu takes over as CAF’s permanent general secretary

Nigerian football administrator Samson Adamu takes over as CAF’s permanent general secretary

Mosengo-Omba’s continued stay in office had attracted criticism after he remained in the position beyond CAF’s mandatory retirement age of 63.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Nigerian football administrator Samson Adamu as its permanent General Secretary, making him the first Nigerian to occupy the position since the continental football governing body was established in 1957.

Adamu’s appointment was approved by the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) following an extensive recruitment process and was announced seven months after he took over the position in an acting capacity in March 2026.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said the organisation had conducted a “comprehensive recruitment exercise in which the position was widely advertised, and several candidates were interviewed before the appointment was confirmed.”

Adamu had been serving as Acting General Secretary since March 29, 2026, following the resignation of Véron Mosengo-Omba, who held the position for more than five years.

Mosengo-Omba’s continued stay in office had attracted criticism after he remained in the position beyond CAF’s mandatory retirement age of 63.

When Adamu was appointed on an interim basis, Motsepe said he would serve temporarily as the organisation’s vice-presidents led the search for a substantive successor. The CAF president also publicly encouraged Adamu to apply for the permanent position.

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) welcomed the confirmation, describing it as good news for the country and African football.

“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,” NFF’s Acting General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme said.

Before his appointment, Adamu served as CAF’s Director of Tournaments and Events, having joined the organisation in 2018 as Director of Competitions.

He later took charge of tournaments and events, leading the delivery of major continental football competitions, including CAF’s flagship tournament, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the organisation’s club competitions.

His experience in managing these tournaments is expected to be important in his new position, which involves overseeing CAF’s day-to-day administration and supporting the implementation of its strategic priorities.

Adamu is a graduate of the FIFA Master programme in International Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, giving him academic training alongside his years of experience in football administration.

Following his departure from the competitions department, CAF appointed Egyptian administrator Khaled Nassar earlier this month to head the function previously managed by Adamu.

His confirmation comes at an important time for CAF, which relies heavily on revenue generated through its competitions, including sponsorship, broadcasting and hosting agreements linked to AFCON and club football.

Having spent most of his career at CAF overseeing competitions, Adamu takes charge of the organisation with direct knowledge of the operational demands involved in delivering these events and working with commercial partners.

His appointment also provides continuity as preparations gather pace for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The tournament will be the first AFCON edition to be staged across three countries, making coordination among the host governments, sponsors and broadcasting rights holders an important part of the preparations.

The confirmation also strengthens Nigeria’s position within CAF at a time when the organisation is planning to hold its Congress and Awards in the country.

Among Adamu’s major responsibilities will be supporting the governance and transparency reforms that CAF has been pursuing under Motsepe’s leadership.