The businessman and former president of Sudanese football club Al Merrikh, Engineer Omar Osman Al Nimeir, passed away on Friday, 4 September 2026, in Cairo, Egypt at the age of 45, following an illness and after undergoing surgery.
His funeral was held on Saturday, 5 September at Mustafa Mahmoud Mosque in Mohandessin, Giza, with his burial taking place at the family’s cemetery in 6th of October City. The funeral was attended by a large number of members of the Sudanese community, as well as his friends, supporters and associates in Cairo. Following his death, Al Merrikh paid tribute to its former president, while the club observed a period of mourning. The team’s players also wore black armbands during their CAF Champions League qualifying match against Power Dynamos on 5 September.
Born in Omdurman in 1981, Al Nimeir grew up and lived in Sudan before moving to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he developed his business and investment activities. His career began in trade and investment, with interests that included livestock, agricultural products and international commerce. Over the years, he established and managed several companies associated with trading, services, livestock and agricultural production.
A 2012 interview with the Sudanese newspaper Al-Sudani identified Al Nimeir as a businessman involved in several companies, including Afrodan International for Trade and Services, Faidh Al-Naeem Electronics, Tasabeh for Livestock and Agricultural Products, and Jarm International. At the time, he was particularly involved in the livestock sector and discussed Sudan’s livestock exports, agricultural production, international trade and the challenges facing Sudanese businesses.
His later business activities extended beyond Sudan. Records and company documents in the United Arab Emirates show his involvement in companies operating in Dubai, including SIMI Contracting, where he was listed as a shareholder. His wider investment interests included food security, agricultural and livestock production, land development and land reclamation, as well as trade and services.
Al Nimeir became particularly prominent in Sudanese sport through his involvement with Al Merrikh Sporting Club (Al Merrikh SC), one of Sudan’s most prominent and historically significant football clubs and one of the country’s leading participants in African club competitions. The club competes in the Sudan Premier League and has a large following in Sudan and among the Sudanese diaspora.
In January 2024, Al Nimeir was appointed president of Al Merrikh SC at a time when the club was facing significant administrative and financial challenges. His appointment was made during a board meeting in Cairo, with the stated objective of helping organise the club’s administration and addressing its institutional difficulties.
During his tenure, Al Nimeir spoke about the need for a more sustainable approach to building the club. He expressed reservations about excessive dependence on foreign players and argued for greater patience in developing the team and building what he described as the Al Merrikh of the future. His approach reflected a broader emphasis on strengthening the club’s long-term sporting and administrative foundations rather than relying solely on short-term spending.
After serving as president during 2024 and into 2025, Al Nimeir stepped away from the club’s administration and resigned from the presidency in July 2025. Despite leaving the position, he remained associated with the club and continued to be remembered as a businessman who had sought to contribute to Al Merrikh during a challenging period in its history.
Outside football, Al Nimeir’s career was closely connected to Sudan’s agricultural and livestock sectors. His early business activities included the trading and export of livestock and agricultural products, while his later investments expanded into the UAE and Egypt. His business interests reflected an emphasis on food security and agricultural development, sectors of particular importance to Sudan’s economy.
Al Nimeir’s career therefore spanned several areas, combining entrepreneurship and investment with agricultural and livestock development and a period of leadership in one of Sudan’s best-known football institutions. His relatively short tenure at Al Merrikh came during a turbulent period for Sudanese football, but his involvement added another dimension to a business career that had developed across Sudan, the UAE and Egypt.
His death brought tributes from the Sudanese sporting and business communities. Al Merrikh described him as one of the club’s sons and paid tribute to his connection with the club and his efforts on its behalf. His funeral in Cairo also drew a significant gathering from the Sudanese community, reflecting his connections to both Sudan and Egypt.
مشاهد من تشييع جنازة المغفور له بإذن الله المهندس عمر النمير. pic.twitter.com/o8jfyQWA9G
— Al Merrikh SC (@Almerrikh08) September 5, 2026
()تقبل الله فقيد الوطن والرياضة والمجتمع،رجل الأعمال والبر والخير،الراحل المهندس عمر النمير،سيتم الصلاة على جثمانه ظهر اليوم السبت بمستشفى د مصطفى محمود،المهندسين،القاهرة،ويتم الدفن بمقابر الاسرة،مدينة ٦ اكتوبر .
— أحمد البلال الطيب (@ahmed_albalal) September 4, 2026
() الفيديو الأول ،آخر تسجيل صوتى للراحل المهندس عمر النمير،صباح… pic.twitter.com/l8DfLEq0XO
رئيس مجلس السيادة يعزي أسرة الفقيد المهندس عمر النمير بأم درمان
— SUDAN News Agency (SUNA) 🇸🇩 (@SUNA_AGENCY) September 6, 2026
أم درمان 6-9-2026 (سونا) أدى السيد رئيس مجلس السيادة الانتقالي، القائد العام للقوات المسلحة، الفريق أول الركن عبد الفتاح البرهان، واجب العزاء في الفقيد المهندس عمر النمير، بمدينة أم درمان.
وأشاد رئيس مجلس السيادة… pic.twitter.com/1hCgAur2Pb
مجلس السيادة ينعي رجل الأعمال ورئيس نادي المريخ السابق عمر النمير
— SUDAN News Agency (SUNA) 🇸🇩 (@SUNA_AGENCY) September 5, 2026
الخرطوم 5-9-2026 (سونا) ينعي مجلس السيادة الانتقالي، ببالغ الحزن والأسى، فقيد الوطن والرياضة والمجتمع، المهندس عمر النمير، رئيس نادي المريخ السابق ورجل الأعمال والبر والإحسان، الذي وافته المنية بعد مسيرة حافلة… pic.twitter.com/4DU9l4Eelv
لقطات من صلاة الجنازة على فقيد النادي المهندس عمر عثمان النمير طيب الله ثراه pic.twitter.com/ILm62OkCXX
— Al Merrikh SC (@Almerrikh08) September 5, 2026
