Samson Adamu makes history as first Nigerian CAF secretary general following resignation, marking major shift in African football leadership.
Samson Adamu has been appointed acting secretary general of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), becoming the first Nigerian to occupy the role since the organisation’s founding nearly 70 years ago.
The appointment was approved on Sunday during a CAF congress meeting at the Giza Palace Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, marking a historic milestone in the administrative leadership of African football.
Adamu’s elevation follows the resignation of Veron Mossengo-Omba, the Swiss-Congolese official who stepped down from the position on the same day.
Before his appointment, Adamu served as CAF’s director of tournaments and events, where he oversaw the planning, logistics, and execution of major continental competitions.
His nomination was put forward by the CAF executive committee and later ratified by the congress in Cairo.
The secretary general role is widely regarded as the “engine room” of African football, responsible for overseeing daily administration, legal affairs, and implementing decisions taken by CAF’s executive committee.
With this development, Nigeria secures representation at the highest level of CAF’s administrative structure for the first time since the body was established in 1957, ending a decades-long absence at the top tier of its leadership.