Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, Gbenga Elegbeleye has reflected on the performance of Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions this season, reports Completesports.com.
President Federation Cup champions, Kwara United and Abia Warriors exited the CAF Confederation Cup in the first preliminary round.
NPFL champions, Remo Stars were hammered 7-1 on aggregate by South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.
Only Rivers United made it to the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
The Port Harcourt club are the first Nigerian club to achieve the feat since
the 2018/19 season.
Elegbeleye On Nigerian Clubs
Elegbeleye was particularly disappointed with outcome of Remo Stars’ clash with Mamelodi Sundowns
“In terms of sponsorship, they are doing better than us (South African League). I inherited a league without a sponsor. We still have no major sponsor at the moment. We have just been managing to pay prize monies, and other emoluments,” Elegbeleye said in an exclusive interview with Super Eagles legend, Segun Odegbami on Eagle7 103.7FM’s Saturday morning show “90 minutes with Mathematical7”.
“Secondly, will the clubs in Nigeria be willing to invest in their team like we have in South Africa and other parts of Africa? Will they want to keep their best players, and wait until they can make big money on them before selling? Will they not want to sell their players immediately after winning the league or after finishing the season?.
Read Also:CAF Champions League: Rivers United To Discover Group Opponents Monday
“Mamelodi Sundowns for example have players, who have been with them for six , seven seasons and are still willing to remain at the club majorly because of the salary they are getting.
“The league managers (NPFL) cannot manage the clubs. So, if the clubs keep their best players things will get better. Rivers United have majority of their players from the last two, three seasons with them, and we are all seeing the result.
” If our clubs can stop selling their best legs at the end of each season, there will be remarkable progress in terms of competing with other clubs from other countries in CAF competitions.
“Just imagine, Rivers United have qualified for the group stage of the CAF Champions League, what they will pocket for qualifying alone is about N1.3b, that’s massive.
”If clubs can take this into consideration, lt will help them massively. Let’s manage ourselves, let’s manage our players to reach that stage. Imagine a Nigerian club going to the FIFA Club World Cup.
“Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly, and others that participated in the competition made million of dollars. This is enough to manage a club for five years and pay their players good salaries. The big question is will how our clubs take that direction too.
“They need to think above that level that immediately you win the league, you have to sell off all your best players. You must do proper investment in football. Proper investment means continuity.
“Can the government who own some of these clubs know the real commercial benefit? Do they know that football is an investment that will yield multiple profits.
“If governors will think along that line, follow the paths of South African clubs, then we can reach the level of Mamelodi Sundowns and other top clubs in Africa.”
On Players Exodus
A number of top quality players who shone for their respective clubs in the NPFL last season have left the country for greener pastures.
Read Also:NPFL Boss Elegbeleye Salutes Rivers United For Putting Nigeria’s Name On 2025/2026 CAFCL Map
Remo Stars are the worst hit with the likes of captain Junior Nduka, enterprising midfielder Jide Fatokun, goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Sikiru Alimi and Franck Mawuena leaving the Ikenne club.
Elegbeleye believed that there are still some exceptional talents in the Nigerian top-flight.
“Again the issue that people usually raise now has to do with players exodus. Everybody keep saying that at the end of every season , players run away, our best legs leave the country,” added Elegbeleye.
“I must tell you, yes it is true, but there are some expections. Like I said earlier, Rivers United is an example. They have majority of their players for the past few seasons with them, and they are reaping the reward.”
Journey In Charge Of NPFL
“When we came in , we discovered that so many things were not okay with the league. First, we didn’t inherit anything, no account. So, I started with zero naira, even the government didn’t give us anything,” Elegbeleye explained.
“So, it was difficult because you can’t prosecute the league without money. I started moving around, looking for prospective sponsors, luckily I was able to convince GTI to invest in the league
“I told them it is something that is going to be profitable, not immediately, but in future. We spoke at length, and I make my presentation. They eventually accepted my proposal.
“My first major concern was the payment of referees emoluments. The late Tade Azeez was the president of referees association then. He came to me with one or two of his members threatening to boycott the league because they were owed for around three years.
“I remember my answer to them was, look I’m just coming in, there is no money to pay you for three years. I told them, the way I will start, we will not owe any referee a dime. We will pay them before each match. We want to start on a clean slate.
“We negotiated, and everything started well. The staff that I inherited too said they have not been paid for 13, 14 months. I was not able to ascertain that because there was no record from the previous administration.
Discord With Clubs
“We also tried to force an abridge league on the clubs, and there was a strong resistance. We wanted that because the NPFL then does not have a calendar. You don’t know when you start, and when you will finish.
“Then, how do you manage to present clubs for continental engagements. The implication is that you are perhaps going to send clubs that are not prepared, and not the best.
“We decided that we have to find a way around it. We have to fix a calendar, how to go about it was not an issue. Then, the crisis that came up, and we got to January. Eventually, we were able to start on January 8.
“We realised that the only thing that can help us have a unified calendar with Europe is for us to start in January and finish in April or May. So, we had the abridge league which ended with the Super Six at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
‘Then, we were able to manage the calendar. Last season we finished the same day with Premier League and LaLiga. The day Liverpool were crowned champions of EPL was the Remo Stars were also crowned champions of the NPFL.
“This season we are going to week 11, same thing with EPL and Liga. We have been able to manage the calendar, so that any club that will go for CAF competitions must be clubs that are in the bracket of one to three.”
Clubs Getting Reward
Remo Stars were rewarded with N200m for winning their maiden NPFL title last season.
“We discovered that there was no prize money for the league winners when we came in. I said you can’t win the league without getting a good reward for your effort. Not just a trophy, there must be a financial benefit.
“In the first season, we were able pay Enyimba N100m through the GTI group. Second season, we were able to increase it to N150m which Rangers won.
” Remo Stars won the title last season, and they received N200m.”
Improvement In Officiating
Elegbeleye also commented on officiating in the NPFL this season.
“In the area of officiating, home teams always win their matches in the past . That’s one of the major reasons why fans run away from the stadium because they already know what the outcome an home game will be,” he asserted.
“We have been able to curb that substantially by not only imposing fines, but three points deduction. We have been able to give referees the free mind to let them know if you make the right calls, and decisions, you will not be molested by the home fans.
“If we follow what was done in the past and impose fines, any club can easily pay a fine of N1m for example. The next game they will beat referees and still pay N1m.
” Now teams don’t want to lose points. A lot of teams lost points and went on relegation last season.Some couldn’t make it to the continent because they lost points. The supporters too are now aware of the reasons for their team’s failure.
“That has gradually reduce violence across match venues. This season, we have had only one big issue with Kano Pillars. We did the needful by banning the stadium (Sani Abacha), and impose three points deduction and a N9.5m fine.
“Of course they have appealed the decision which they have the right to. That aside, teams are now winning away. The first matchday, Warri Wolves defeated Katsina United away. Bayelsa United also defeated Shooting Stars in Ibadan.
“You can now win anywhere if you play well. There is nothing like home advantage anymore. Even the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde make reference to that during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF in Ibadan.
“He said he was surprise that Shooting Stars that always win their home matches, can’t do that again, and also the fact that they are now getting result away. It’s a big credit to the system.
“We have been trying on our own to be credible, to run open an administration, to do the best we can as body.”
Elegbeleye’s Drive For Investors
“We have been talking to sponsors for over one year now. We met with groups, and they have been showing interest. Soon, we will be meeting with NNPC, they are interested in what we are doing. If there is no openess and credibility, they will not show interest,”Elegbeleye stated.
“An investor want openness, and care about our sincerity with the task. The little we have made from some corporate bodies we have spent it judiciously.
“In the next two weeks we will also sign an agreement with two companies. It is about transparency. We are not where we used to be. We have gone beyond that even though we are not where we want our league to be.”
By Adeboye Amosu
