NPFL Aiming To Become Africa’s Best League, Says Chairman Elegbeleye

Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, has expressed strong optimism that the country’s topflight league is on course to become the best in Africa, citing recent progress made by the league board over the past three seasons.

Currently ranked 12th in Africa in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) five-year club competition rankings, the NPFL has seen notable improvements in structure, prize money, and calendar stability.

Speaking in a recent radio interview, Elegbeleye praised the league’s growth, pointing to Remo Stars’ historic title win in the 2024/25 season and the commitment of the league board to ensure a smooth and competitive campaign.

“We will run a seamless and very smooth league till the last matchday. Nigerians are beginning to believe in what we’re doing. Our best is yet to come. We’re working to deliver the best league in Africa,” Elegbeleye said.

The NPFL has seen a consistent increase in prize money — from ₦100 million to ₦150 million last season and now ₦200 million for the 2024/25 champions. Elegbeleye emphasized that this upward trend would continue as part of efforts to boost the league’s marketability and competitiveness.

The league has also aligned its calendar with global football, running from August to May, allowing players to attend trials abroad during the off-season without disrupting their club obligations.

However, Elegbeleye expressed concern over Nigerian clubs’ underwhelming performances in continental competitions, despite improved domestic conditions. While Nigeria currently qualifies two teams for both the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, he believes this opportunity is being underutilized.

“My major concern now is that our clubs go to the continent and don’t perform. We must address this urgently. Clubs shouldn’t win the league only to sell their best players immediately,” he stated.

Nigeria’s last major continental success came with Enyimba’s back-to-back CAF Champions League victories in 2003 and 2004. This season, Enyimba failed to progress beyond the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, highlighting the need for deeper reforms to restore Nigeria’s dominance in African club football.