NFRA Hails Edibe’s CAF Appointment As Boost For Nigerian Refereeing

Nigeria’s growing presence in the technical development of football officiating has received another boost following the appointment of retired FIFA referee Peter Edibe as a Referee Assessor for the ongoing WAFU B U-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Côte d’Ivoire.

Edibe’s selection by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) places him among the technical experts responsible for evaluating the performances of match officials officiating at the regional qualifying tournament, underscoring the confidence reposed in Nigerian refereeing expertise at the continental level.

The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association (NFRA) welcomed the appointment, describing it as a recognition of Edibe’s wealth of experience and a positive development for referee education in Nigeria and Africa.

Truth Live News learned that the retired FIFA assistant referee, Edibe built an extensive international career before retirement, officiating at major competitions including the Olympic Games, the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA Club World Cup.

He has also served as a CAF and FIFA technical instructor, facilitating training programmes and workshops on the Laws of the Game.

During the ongoing tournament, Edibe has already assessed officiating teams in two matches.

He served as Referee Assessor for the encounter between Togo and Burkina Faso, handled by match officials from Niger and Benin Republic, before monitoring the refereeing crew from Niger, Congo and Côte d’Ivoire during Ghana’s fixture against Togo in Yamoussoukro.

The acting President of the Nigeria Football Referees’ Association, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, congratulated Edibe on the appointment, saying it reflected his outstanding record and commitment to the development of football officiating.

“His exploits remain another major boost to the development of referees in Nigeria and beyond,” Mejuobi said.

He expressed confidence that Edibe’s exposure at the continental level would continue to benefit Nigerian referees through improved mentoring and technical guidance.

According to Mejuobi, the experience gained from assignments of this nature would have a positive impact on members of the Nigerian refereeing family and further strengthen referee development in the country.

Edibe was recently appointed to the NFRA Grading and Assessment Committee (Technical), a role that complements his responsibilities as a referee instructor and assessor.

The appointment comes as CAF continues to rely on experienced former international referees to assess, mentor and improve officiating standards during its competitions, with technical assessors playing a key role in evaluating referee performances and supporting their professional development.

Reports say, for Nigerian football, Edibe’s latest assignment represents another opportunity for the country’s officiating expertise to contribute to the advancement of refereeing standards on the African continent.