The news of his death was confirmed by a senior official in the Lagos State Government and reported by Radio Nigeria. The football community in Nigeria and across Africa is mourning the loss of the man fondly known as “Dodo Mayana.”
Rufai was a towering figure in Nigerian football, earning 65 international caps and featuring prominently in two FIFA World Cup tournaments — USA 1994 and France 1998. He was instrumental in Nigeria’s historic triumph at the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia, where the Super Eagles claimed their second continental title.
Beyond his national team heroics, Rufai had a successful club career in Europe, playing in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, most notably for Deportivo La Coruña and Hércules CF.
After retirement, Rufai remained committed to the sport, founding a goalkeeper academy and mentoring young talents across Nigeria.
Tributes have poured in from across the sports world, with fans, former teammates, and football authorities praising his contributions to Nigerian football.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is expected to issue an official statement and announce burial arrangements in due course.
Peter Rufai is survived by his wife and children.
Rest in peace, Dodo Mayana.
