Nigerian Football
Pinnick Lauds Senate For Passing NFF Bill
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has praised the Senate of the Federal Republic for a marvelous job, after the Red Chamber passed the much –awaited NFF Bill following a third reading on Tuesday.
“Today will go down as one of the most remarkable in the history of the Nigeria Football Federation. I am very excited. With the passing of this Bill, we now await the very important assent of Mr. President. Once Mr. President gives assent, I assure you the NFF can achieve so much.
“I am not only thinking of what the present NFF administration can do; I am thinking of what subsequent NFF Boards after our tenure will be able to do, as the Bill is futuristic as well.
“For us, the passing of the NFF Bill means we can now make our programme even more robust and proceed apace with our vision of building a sustainable football culture for our dear country, through driving private sector involvement and investment,” Pinnick said.
The key highlights of the NFF Bill include legislations to ensure the entrenchment of the enabling environment for the development of football in Nigeria and to drive private sector participation and investment at all levels.
Fundamentally, the Bill has now domesticated the NFF Statutes, recognizing its sanctity, as approved by the NFF Congress and endorsed by FIFA as the supreme laws for governance of the functioning, organization, administration and operations of the Federation, as well as recognition of football by the Federal Government as a national asset entitled to special privileges and concessions to foster its growth at all levels.
The Bill further provides for special concessions and tax holidays by the Government to sponsors of football in Nigeria and has clear financial reporting provisions to further entrench transparency in the activities of the NFF, such as publishing of accounts annually.
These will set the NFF on a path of sustainable growth and ensure it operates within international best practices and as a business to strengthen the social and economic impact of football to the nation’s economy.
On Tuesday, on the floor of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba, presented the report of his committee, which was followed by a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill and a voice vote by the senators.
“All these court cases against football do not augur well for our country. It is important that we repeal the Act (2004) and enact the NFF Bill to sanitise football administration in this country,” Ogba said.
The former NFF Vice President went further: “It has become necessary to repeal the Extant Act. This is because it requires a lot of amendments to bring it into agreement with FIFA –required international best practices. It is to give it the required boost.
“The Bill has no financial implication because it is only seeking for a change in the name of the football body in order to achieve greater and better results in the future. It seeks to ensure that only those who are actually involved in competitive football matches are members of the Federation and not just organizations and establishments as contained in the Extant Act.
“Also, the Bill makes provision for the professional development of football at all levels in accordance with international best practices and to enable the credible participation of our teams in international competitions.
“The committee strongly believes that through this piece of legislation, the objectives as expressed in the long title of the Bill and explanatory memorandum will be achieved.”
In his contribution, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki praised the committee for a great job.
“The message here is for us to bring Nigeria in line with best practices and best ways to administer football in the country. This has been an embarrassment over the years, but with the passage of this Bill, the grey areas will be taken care of.”
The country’s football ruling body was founded as Nigeria Football Association. However, at its Annual General Assembly in Makurdi, Benue State on July 24, 2008, Congress approved the change of name to Nigeria Football Federation.
The Act of Parliament 2004 as the legal instrument for administering the game in Nigeria replaced the Decree 101 of 1992.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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