Nigerian Football
LA LIGA U15 TOURNAMENT PRODUCTS IN GOLDEN EAGLETS THRILL NFF
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is thrilled by the progress of some players discovered at the 2017 NPFL/ La Liga U15 Tournament into the Golden Eaglets team that came fourth in the just concluded Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Tanzania.
This was disclosed by Shehu Dikko, the 2nd Vice President of the NFF and Chairman of League Management Company, who added that the partnership between the LMC and La Liga is to create platforms that will develop Nigerian young players into playing for NPFL clubs, national teams like the U17, U20, U23, the Super Eagles and possibly for clubs abroad.
He stated that the Federation is satisfied with the trio of Akinkunmi Amoo, Olakunle Olusegun and Shedrack Tanko that featured for the Eaglets at the cadet AFCON.
“We are happy that some of the players that featured at the first edition of NPFL/La Liga U15 tournament are already making progress.
Some of them are in the U17 National Team and it shows that the players are developing and taking their game to the next level. We want to have more players progress to the next level of their careers,” Dikko told thenff.com
“We are also interested in seeing these players feature for some NPFL clubs as well. We want to see these players progress to play for U17, U20, U23 and in the Super Eagles. If we are consistently doing this, the future of Nigeria football is very bright. “That is the plan all over the world. You can see players developing at the UEFA U21 Champions League and Premier League U21 and the LMC started with U15, hoping that in the future, we will move to other age levels with our partnership with La Liga,” he said.
Nigerian Football
Remo Stars’ Historic NPFL Win: A Testament to GTI’s Strategic Effort on Football Development
On Sunday, April 27, 2025, Remo Stars Football Club of Ikenne achieved a historic milestone by clinching their first-ever Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title in the 2024/2025 season.
After coming up short in the previous two seasons, where they finished as runners-up, this victory was a personal achievement for the club and a significant moment for the NPFL itself.
Remo Stars’ 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes secured the title with three games to spare, marking a new chapter in Nigerian football.
This victory highlights the substantial impact of strategic partnerships, specifically with GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, which have been instrumental in the restructuring and repositioning of the NPFL.
Through their partnership with the NPFL Board, GTI has played a key role in improving the league’s competitiveness, officiating integrity, and overall management standards.
The last time a privately-owned club won the NPFL title was in 1996 when Udoji United triumphed.
Since then, privately-owned clubs have struggled to replicate that success, making Remo Stars’ achievement even more noteworthy.
Their victory came as part of GTI’s broader initiatives, including The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF), which has introduced greater financial transparency and discipline into the league.
This partnership is reshaping the business side of Nigerian football, ensuring that clubs operate more professionally and attract greater investment.
In what can only be seen as a serendipitous moment, Remo Stars’ victory occurred on the same day that the club’s proprietor, Kunle Soname, was celebrating his birthday. What a double celebration it was!
Looking at the broader picture, this victory signals a positive trajectory for the NPFL, with increased investment, improved management, and a heightened focus on player development. The efforts of GTI Group, working alongside the current NPFL Board led by Gbenga Elegbeleye, are setting the stage for the future growth of Nigerian football.
GTI’s commitment to elevating the league is rooted in a vision of creating a more business-oriented, sustainable model for the NPFL.
By addressing the structural challenges that have historically held back Nigerian football, GTI’s efforts are aimed at attracting investments from well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies.
This strategy is not just about enhancing the quality of the league but also about providing financial returns for investors, much like what is seen in top football leagues around the world.
Remo Stars’ victory is not just a triumph for the club, but also a reflection of the broader efforts being made to improve the NPFL.
With the strategic support from GTI, Nigerian football is on a path towards greater success. The hope is that the league will continue to grow, producing more success stories like Remo Stars and eventually earning its place among the most glamorous leagues in the world.
In conclusion, Remo Stars’ historic win is a symbol of the power of strategic investment and visionary leadership. It underscores the potential of the NPFL to rise to new heights, benefiting both the clubs and the passionate fans who follow them.
With continued efforts from GTI and others committed to football development in Nigeria, the future looks bright for the NPFL.
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Nigerian Football
Like what happened to Stores earlier, another Lagos club thrown out of the Nigerian League
Another Lagos club, 1472 FC, has been thrown out of Nigeria’s second-tier league, the Nigeria National League, for failure to honour three matches in the current season.
Crowd-pulling Stationery Stores suffered a similar fate 32 years ago when they were expelled from the Nigeria Professional League.
In a press release on Tuesday, the NFF announced that 1472 FC did not honour three matches during the current season.
The matches were against Abia Comets (Match 9), Dakkada FC (Match 53) and Ijele FC (Match 74).
The NNL relied on the league’s Article 14.11 to expel the club.
In the letter signed by the NNL’s Chief Operating Officer, Danlami Alanana, 1472 FC are also fined the sum of N5 million, with the consequence that the results of all their played matches have been nullified, and those yet to be played are cancelled.
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Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has extolled the commitment and determination of Remo Stars Foot ball Club on its victory over Niger Tornadoes, describing it as unprecedented feat in the annals of Ogun State.
It would be recalled that the local football team won the first-ever Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title with a 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes on Sunday, April 27.
In so doing, they become the first team in the state to win the Nigerian elite division league since the state was created on 3 February 1976.
Before the current feat, no team from the state had won the national league. The famous Abiola Babes, the rave of the 1980s, won the Challenge Cup in 1985 and 1987.
Governor Abiodun, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the team has sustained the inherent first capacity Ogun State is known for, adding that their resilience and perseverance have paid off.
Governor Abiodun added that Remo Stars has consistently pushed for the best with enviable patriotic tendencies since its formation.
He said the level of the team’s dexterity and capacity earned it the 2024-2025 Nigerian Premier Football League title as well as it’s promotion to the elite league four years ago.
The Governor, therefore, implored other local clubs in Nigeria to emulate the degree of resilience and doggedness the team displayed to help in promoting Nigeria’s local league to enviable heights.
“It is my utmost delight that the age-long perseverance and consistency of the Remo Stars Football team have eventually paid off at the national level and to the admiration of every Nigerian, including our amiable President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“As the first privately-owned NPFL champions since 1996, which ceremoniously secured a place in the CAF Champions League, we commend the undiluted and unwavering determination of the players, the coaching formation, and the entire management.
“This is indeed a clear reflection of the profound trait of Ogun State as the first in all areas of success and our all-inclusive policy of transformation as enshrined in our ISEYA mantra,” the statement read.
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Remo Stars’ Historic NPFL Win: A Testament to GTI’s Strategic Effort on Football Development
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