It involves a huge amount of money - NFF president explains hurdles of using VAR in Nigeria

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has outlined the major challenges hindering the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

Speaking at the NPFL's broadcast and data rights signing event in Abuja, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau identified financial, technical, and logistical issues as the primary obstacles.

He emphasised that the high cost of the technology is just one part of a larger, more complex problem.

"What’s the essence of purchasing VAR equipment without having the engineers who can operate and manage it?" Gusau questioned.

He added, "It involves a huge amount of money to train both referees and engineers to use it effectively."

The NFF president explained that the federation is developing a plan to address this skills gap. "We are planning to begin training our young referees on how to operate and manage the VAR systems," he stated.

Another major complication is the logistics of deploying VAR across various match venues. Gusau noted that moving the equipment requires trained engineers to dismantle, transport, and reassemble it for each game, adding significant operational costs and time constraints.

"We are currently exploring options for a movable VAR setup that would make the process easier and more efficient," Gusau added.

He added, "By the time we finally introduce VAR in Nigeria, we want to ensure that it is fully functional and sustainable."

Efforts to prepare for the technology's eventual arrival are already underway. In July, NFF Secretary General Dr Sanusi Mohammed confirmed that a group of Nigerian referees had been sent to Morocco for specialised VAR training.

"The NFF is impressed with the league’s scheduling discipline last season. We’ve already sent some referees to Morocco for VAR training as we work towards its eventual introduction in the NPFL," Sanusi said.

While a definitive timeline for VAR's debut in Nigeria's top flight remains unconfirmed, the NFF has assured stakeholders that foundational work is in progress to ensure a smooth and lasting implementation.