UN Representative In Nigeria Named First Female FIFA Secretary General

Fatma Samba Diouf Samboura

UN’s Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura of Senegal has today been appointed as FIFA’s new Secretary General (SG) by the FIFA Council.

The appointment of Samoura, a 21-year veteran of United Nations programmes, as FIFA’s second strongest official was announced by the world football governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino at the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City.

“Fatma is a woman with international experience and vision who has worked on some of the most challenging issues of our time,” President Infantino said. “She has a proven ability to build and lead teams, and improve the way organisations perform. Importantly for FIFA, she also understands that transparency and accountability are at the heart of any well-run and responsible organisation.”

According to a statement sent by FIFA to Greennews.ng on Friday afternoon, Fatma will undergo some checks, after which she can start her new job around middle of June.

“As required under FIFA statutes, Ms. Samoura will undergo an eligibility check administered by the independent Review Committee, per Article 37 of the FIFA Statutes. Ms. Samoura will assume the role of FIFA Secretary General before mid-June.”

Since starting her UN career as a senior logistics officer with the World Food Programme in Rome in 1995, Ms. Samoura has served as country representative or director in six countries: Republic of Djibouti, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Madagascar and Nigeria.  She speaks French (her mother tongue), English, Spanish and Italian, the statement said.

“Today is a wonderful day for me, and I am honored to take on the role of FIFA’s Secretary General,” Ms. Samoura said. “I believe this role is a perfect fit for my skills and experience – strategic, high impact team building in international settings – which I will use to help grow the game of football all over the world. I also look forward to bringing my experience in governance and compliance to bear on the important reform work that is already underway at FIFA.

“FIFA is taking a fresh approach to its work – and I am eager to play a role in making that approach as effective and lasting as possible.”

In her current UN role in Nigeria, Ms. Samoura has wide-ranging responsibilities including budgeting, human resources, and procurement, among others. She coordinates the activities of approximately 2,000 staff members, and monitors and evaluates the security, political and socio-economic situation and trends in Africa’s most populous country.

Prior to joining the UN, Ms. Samoura spent eight years in the private sector, working in the fertiliser trading sector for Senchim, a subsidiary of Industries Chimiques du Senegal. Her areas of responsibility included product export and import programs, tenders, and the establishment of a national distribution network.

Ms. Samoura earned her Masters Degree in English and Spanish at the University of Lyon; and a Post-Masters Degree in international relations/international trade from the Institut d’Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (IECS)- Strasbourg-France.