The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) will soon implement video assistant refereeing (VAR), according to Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
During the inaugural retreat of NPFL’s management and staff in Abuja, Gusau provided the assurance.
According to Gusau, the NFF will begin the process of implementing VAR in Nigerian football by dispatching a few referees to observe and learn from other nations that have already implemented the technology.
I promise that before my first term as president of the Nigeria Football Federation ends in 2026, VAR will be successfully implemented in domestic football. We’ll get there gradually, but for sure,” Gusau said.
“I also want to express my gratitude to the Nigeria Premier Football League board for their tireless efforts to improve the league’s image. The management of the league and the NFF will keep implementing new ideas and initiatives to guarantee the league’s expansion.
Since 2016, VAR has been implemented in leagues throughout Europe. Additionally, the tool was criticised for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2019, Morocco became the first nation in Africa to implement VAR in its national league. The technology has also been used in local matches between Egypt and Zambia.
