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Nigeria will host the CAF A-License coaching course again after a nine-year break, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced. The federation is targeting August 2026 for the return of the elite coaching qualification on home soil, marking a major step for coach education in the country.
NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi confirmed the development, describing it as part of a broader push to raise standards across Nigerian football.
Why the CAF A-License coaching course matters
The CAF A-License is one of the highest coaching qualifications on the continent, a near-essential credential for coaches who want to manage top clubs and national teams. Hosting the course locally means Nigerian coaches no longer have to travel abroad and spend heavily to upgrade their badges.
For nearly a decade, the absence of the course at home created a bottleneck, leaving many qualified coaches unable to take the final step in their development. Bringing it back addresses a long-standing gap and signals fresh investment in the people who shape players and teams.
What Sanusi said
Sanusi made the announcement around a six-day CAF B-License refresher course in Abuja, where he served as one of the instructors. He assured coaches that the federation is making earnest preparations to ensure the A-License convention meets the highest standards when it resumes.
He stressed that Nigeria’s readmission into the CAF A coaching convention is a point of pride and responsibility. The federation, he said, wants the course to be rigorous and credible so that graduates earn genuine respect across African football.
How the selection will work
Demand is expected to outstrip places. According to the plans, a large pool of coaches will apply, but only a limited number will be admitted to the course. The selection is designed to ensure that those who make the cut meet the highest standards of preparation, commitment and prior qualification.
The federation has also signalled its intention to apply quickly for a second A-License course after the first cohort finishes. That would turn the qualification into a regular feature of Nigerian football education rather than a rare, one-off event.
Part of a wider reform
The A-License revival sits within a broader programme of coaching and refereeing reforms the NFF has rolled out in recent months. Officials have spoken of pushing for global standards across the game, from grassroots development to elite competition, as Nigeria seeks to rebuild after disappointing results at senior level.
Better-qualified coaches tend to produce better-organised teams and more polished players. By investing in coach education, the federation hopes to strengthen the foundation that ultimately feeds the Super Eagles, Super Falcons and the domestic league.
For the country’s ambitious coaches, the message is encouraging. After years of waiting, a clear, local route to the top coaching badge is finally back within reach, and the August target gives them a date to aim for.
Former internationals and coaching bodies have welcomed the move, saying home-grown coaches deserve a fair chance to reach the top without the heavy expense of travelling abroad. They believe a steady supply of well-qualified Nigerian coaches will strengthen clubs and national teams alike.
If the federation delivers on its promises, the return of the CAF A-License course could mark a turning point for Nigerian football development.
