Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Rivers United have disclosed that head coach Finidi George is undergoing the CAF A-License Coaching Course in Abuja.
The Port-Harcourt-based club made this known following Finidi’s absence in Wednesday’s league clash with Warri Wolves.
The club took to its X handle to clarify that the former Super Eagles star is among coaches taking part in the coaching course, hence his absence in the fixture against Wolves.
“For those asking, ‘Where is Finidi George? Why was he not on the bench against Warri Wolves on Wednesday’, he is in Abuja with top coaches for the CAF A-License Coaching Course — the elite continental coaching programme returned to Nigeria after nine years.
“So, no problem, the coach wants to upgrade!”
Also Read: Finidi George – Shepherding A New Era! –Odegbami
Nigeria was readmitted to the CAF A Coaching Convention earlier in 2026 after CAF approved the NFF’s submitted curriculum (the country had not hosted an A-License course since around 2017).
The NFF had continued running D-, C-, and B-License courses in the interim, including a women-only CAF C-License programme in 2025.
Earlier plans (announced mid-2026) had envisioned a longer six-module course spanning roughly August 2026 to February 2027, with a fee of ₦3,000,000 for Nigerian coaches (and $3,000 for foreigners), limited to 25 candidates who held a CAF B diploma and met other elite-level criteria. The programme that started appears to have been adjusted to the reported two-module format.
The course is viewed as an important step for elite coaching development in Nigeria.
By James Agberebi
