Nigeria’s elite coaching development programme has received a major boost following the completion of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) A-Licence Coaching Course to the country after a nine-year absence,
A total of 25 coaches have completed the latest CAF A-Licence programme in Abuja, with several prominent names in Nigerian football among the participants.
The star-studded class includes former Super Eagles head coach and current Rivers United manager Finidi George, Rangers International technical adviser Fidelis Ilechukwu, former Sunshine Stars and Akwa United coach Kennedy Boboye, former Rangers and El-Kanemi Warriors coach Imama Amapakabo, and former Nigerian international Edema Fuludu.
Other experienced coaches in the programme include Ladan Bosso, Aliyu Zubairu, Edith Agoye, Abdul Maikaba, John Obuh and Abdullahi Biffo, among others. The wider group was drawn from Nigeria’s elite football environment, including coaches associated with national teams and NPFL and NWFL clubs.
The return of the course is particularly significant because Nigeria last hosted a CAF A-Licence course in 2017. The country subsequently spent nine years outside the CAF A Coaching Convention before the Nigeria Football Federation secured readmission in 2026.
CAF approved the curriculum submitted by the NFF in May 2026, allowing the federation to resume the organisation of the elite coaching programme in the country, subject to the required CAF processes.
The NFF had earlier organised a CAF B-Licence programme and a B-Licence refresher course as part of the pathway for coaches seeking admission into the A-Licence programme. The federation said 50 coaches participated in the refresher programme, but only 25 would eventually be admitted into the CAF A-Licence course.
The Abuja programme was coordinated through the NFF’s coaching education structure, with Dr Terry Eguaoje, Head of Coaching Education, playing a leading role alongside other qualified CAF/FIFA coach educators.
The CAF A-Licence is an important qualification for coaches seeking to operate at the highest levels of African club and international football. For the participating Nigerian coaches, the programme provides an opportunity to update their knowledge, strengthen their professional credentials and gain exposure to modern coaching methodologies.
The current course was delivered in modules, with the first module taking place in Abuja and a subsequent concluding module scheduled for October.
Importantly, the coaches have not yet earned their CAF A certificates. They are currently undergoing the programme and will have to successfully complete the required coursework, assessments and other CAF/NFF requirements before certification.
The development nevertheless represents a significant step in rebuilding Nigeria’s elite coaching education pathway after years without a locally organised CAF A-Licence programme.
With experienced coaches such as Finidi George, Fidelis Ilechukwu, Ladan Bosso, Kennedy Boboye, Imama Amapakabo, Edema Fuludu, Aliyu Zubairu, Edith Agoye and Abdul Maikaba among the participants, the programme has attracted considerable attention within Nigerian football.
The NFF has also indicated its intention to make CAF coaching education more regular in Nigeria, with plans to continue developing the D, C, B, A and eventually Pro-Licence pathways for coaches across the country.
BSNSports.com.ng reports that the return of the CAF A-Licence course after nine years could mark the beginning of a more structured and continuous pathway for producing coaches equipped to work at domestic, continental and international levels.
The journey to CAF A-Licence certification has begun — and Abuja is currently at the centre of it.
