By SUNTV Global | January 19, 2026
The Chairman of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has revealed that Senegal’s triumph at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was no accident, saying the Teranga Lions carefully studied Nigeria’s controversial semi-final defeat to Morocco and came into the final fully prepared.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Dikko said the officiating issues witnessed during the Super Eagles’ clash with Morocco played a major role in shaping Senegal’s approach to the final.
“Senegal learned from what happened to Nigeria in the last match,” Dikko said. “The officiating was not what it was supposed to be. Everyone felt uncomfortable because all the second balls seemed to favour Morocco, so Senegal came prepared.”
Senegal went on to defeat host nation Morocco 1–0 in extra time on Sunday, clinching the AFCON 2025 title. Pape Gueye’s extra-time strike proved decisive in a tense final that kept fans on edge until the final whistle.
However, despite praising Senegal’s tactical awareness, Dikko strongly condemned the conduct of some Senegalese players during the match, describing it as damaging to the image of African football.
“Rules are rules. What they did brought the game into disrepute,” he said. “I’m sure they will hear from both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA. Football is not played that way, and referees’ decisions are not meant to be challenged like that.”
Dikko lamented that the controversy surrounding the final could overshadow what he described as an otherwise excellent tournament.
“African football has taken a hit,” he noted. “This was a brilliant competition — massive investment, top-class facilities, and good organisation. But unfortunately, this incident in the final might end up defining the tournament.”
He added that most of the tournament’s matches were well-officiated, suggesting that problems mainly arose in games involving the host nation.
“If you look at the other matches, they were generally fine,” Dikko said. “The issues mostly came up in matches involving the host country, possibly due to pressure from the home fans.”
Calling the incident “really bad for African football,” the NSC chairman urged CAF to take decisive action and ensure lessons are learned.
“I hope something will be done,” he said. “Future host nations must learn from this, and referees must understand that they cannot compromise standards just because they are officiating a host nation’s match.”
Dikko concluded by expressing confidence that CAF would address the situation to protect the integrity of African football going forward.
