In the wake of unending poor performances of Nigerian teams in African continental competitions, Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, has urged Nigerians not to judge the standard of the domestic league with recent setbacks.
Aside Super Eagles’ poor showing at the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in the East Africa, three of the country’s flag bearers in the ongoing CAF Inter-Club Competitions including Remo Stars, Abia Warriors and El-Kanemi have been beaten like pulps by their continental counterparts much to the chagrin of the Nigerian public and press.
Speaking in Lagos while addressing the efforts being made to reposition the league for greater growth and credibility, Elegbeleye said recent poor results are damaging to the NPFL.
According to him, football remains a vital product that commands global attention, and every nations football identity is reflected in the strength and structure of its domestic league.
“Football is a product that every country in the world takes seriously and without a functional league, there is no real football structure,” Elegbeleye said at the Media Agencies’ Interactive Session for NPFL put together by GTI in conjunction with Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Lagos “However, it would be unfair to judge the NPFL by the performance of the team that represented Nigeria at the recent 2025 CHAN for instance.”
He expressed particular disappointment over Nigeria’s 4-0 loss to Sudan at the CHAN, admitting that he personally found it difficult to sleep for days. He clarified that the team that featured in CHAN was not a true representation of the NPFL’s quality or players.
“When Nigeria lost 4-0(to Sudan) at CHAN, I couldn’t sleep for four days but that team was not a representative of our Premier League,” he said. “We have players with real quality in the NPFL. So, people shouldn’t judge the league based on that poor performance at the CHAN.”
Meanwhile, Elegbeleye explained that the league board has been working tirelessly to improve the system, attract investors, and ensure transparency in football administration.
“For investors to come into the system, there must be transparency. When StarTimes came, they wanted a 10 year deal but we insisted on a shorter period to prove our worth. Now, the world can see that we are capable of running a quality football league,” he noted.
Elegbeleye also revealed that the NPFL has introduced strict disciplinary measures for referees and clubs to maintain fairness and credibility.
“Any referee found guilty of misconduct will be sanctioned immediately. Likewise, any club that fails to comply with league rules will lose points. For instance, Kano Pillars lost three points after breaching the rules. These steps have helped restore sanity and discipline in our league,” he said.
He also highlighted the leagues steady progress in rewarding excellence, noting that the league champion’s prize money has continued to rise from ₦50 million to ₦100 million, ₦150 million, and now ₦200 million for the most recent winners, Remo Stars.
He commended sports journalists for their continuous support and coverage, emphasizing their crucial role in promoting transparency and attracting media rights discussions.
“Without journalists, we would not be here. You have projected our league to a confident level that makes investors take us seriously. I assure you that we’ll continue to improve and maintain credibility in all we do,” Elegbeleye concluded.
