CAF Appoints Amaju Pinnick as Special Adviser to President Motsepe

Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has been named special adviser to the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe.

Motsepe made the announcement during a live-streamed press briefing on YouTube on Saturday, where he officially welcomed Pinnick back into the CAF leadership fold.

“I didn’t realise Amaju was so admired within CAF,” Motsepe said, acknowledging the widespread support for Pinnick’s return.

With this new role, Pinnick is expected to attend all CAF executive meetings, providing counsel to the leadership of the continental football body. The appointment is seen as recognition of his past contributions to African football and a further boost to his international football profile.

The 54-year-old sports administrator from Delta State previously held the position of CAF first vice president under former CAF boss Ahmad Ahmad from September 2018 to July 2019. He recently lost his seat on the FIFA Council but remains active in global football governance as a member of the FIFA Organising Committee for Competitions.

Pinnick led the NFF from 2014 to 2022, securing a second term in office after his re-election in September 2018. He is also one of only three Nigerians to have served on the FIFA Council, following in the footsteps of Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu.