Is There Hope In Sight For The Revampment of the Nigeria Premier Football League?

Azeez Adekunle

The beginning of this new season in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has brought hope to fans both at home and in the diaspora. Many had thought the same old story would resurface after the end of the 2023/2024 season, but this time things have proved to be different. For the first time, there was no change to the proposed date for the new season. Is this a new dawn for the teams, the management, the referees, the fans, and all other stakeholders running the show in the NPFL? Only time will tell.

Things have changed subtly from the way they were before. A new management body led by Honorable Gbenga Elegbeleye has done much to restore confidence in the Nigeria Premier Football League. Since his appointment as the new head of the Interim League Management (IMC) after the disbandment of the groups that formed the League Management Company (LMC) by the Supreme Court, coordination of the league structures has been much more streamlined.

Prior to the emergence of this new executive body, the NPFL, which changed its name from the Nigerian Premier League in 2013, was beset with numerous challenges. These challenges ranged from administrative corruption, substandard stadiums, broadcasting rights issues, referees’ ineptitude, fan violence, to prize money issues, among many others. This cast a negative light on the league and eroded fans’ belief in its potential to become as competitive as those in Europe or other neighboring African countries like South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt.

The players were not exempt from this disillusionment. After making a name for themselves in the league, many players sought trials with clubs in less well-known leagues, often for better remuneration that was unavailable in the Nigerian league. While it is positive that the league produces players good enough for transfers, it highlights the ineptitude of the league to tie down talent to favorable contracts due to mismanagement and inadequate player welfare.

Investors and sponsors also shared this skepticism. Many investors were reluctant to associate with the Nigerian league, as corruption and mismanagement seemed to dominate its structure. With little visibility or return on investment compared to other leagues, many investors saw no benefit in wasting time or resources on the project. Even when some did invest, it often came at the detriment of the league’s progress, with many battling controversies and litigations due to the incompetence of the league’s administrators in handling matters with accountability.

A case study of this mismanagement would be Supersport, a satellite broadcaster that pulled out of a 4-year broadcasting rights contract with the LMC in 2017. The deal, worth N34 million, had Supersport paying a two-year advance of 4 million dollars to fund the running of the league. However, due to the economic situation at the time, including the naira’s devaluation against the dollar, and the LMC’s failure to promote the league effectively, Supersport had to halt the deal abruptly.

Another example was the debacle between Total Promotions and Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest telecommunications company, over broadcasting rights and title sponsorship of the league. This saga, which began during the time the league was still known as the Nigerian Premier League, continued into the era of the LMC, causing a series of legal battles and disturbances in the league’s operations. While there are many such examples illustrating why the league is not viewed in a positive light, the slow progress it has made in recent times suggests that with the right people at the helm and a mindset focused on doing what is right for the league’s advancement, improvement is possible.

The partnership of the IMC with GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd in the 2022/2023 season, in a deal worth N1 billion for 10 years, brought the league closer to its goals. The deal has greatly helped renew the image of the league, covering title sponsorship, broadcasting rights, match officials’ indemnities, infrastructure development, and the independence of clubs from government sponsorship. This contract yielded results in the very season it was signed, with Enyimba Football Club of Aba becoming the abridged league winners and being awarded a sum of N100 million as prize money and a cup befitting of winners. The prize money was further increased to N150 million in the 2023/2024 season, which was won by Rangers International FC, and for the current season, the winner will receive N200 million.

To give every fan and individual a sense of belonging and to provide a financial backbone for the league, GTI Group introduced the Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF) prior to the commencement of the abridged league. This fund is open to individuals, philanthropists, and corporate entities who wish to invest in the league through the TNFF and make returns on their investments. The fund’s aims are to improve investor confidence, build fans’ trust, and establish a quality league that can rival those in other countries.

In the area of broadcasting rights, enormous improvements have been made. With the deal signed with Propel Sport Africa, NPFL matches are now live-streamed on an OTT platform, making them accessible to fans both at home and abroad. Furthermore, the deal with MTN to cover 8 live games each weekend, translating to over 300 games per season, is another development that indicates progress. A five-year deal signed on November 2, 2023, between the NPFL and Startimes, a regional satellite TV station, worth $1.6 billion, will broadcast two league matches weekly from November 18, 2023, and increase to four matches from February 18, 2024, until 2026. This is another welcome development that cannot be overlooked, although the Startimes deal is currently facing some issues, both parties are working to resolve them.

Additionally, referees are now more dedicated to professionalism in the league. In the past, it was often the case that only the home teams won matches, but now games are more balanced. Away teams have the confidence to take three points from opponents if they play well. There has also been an improvement in referees’ welfare, with good remuneration and accommodation provided. The NPFL, in furthering professionalism in the game, monitors the activities of referees during match days, ensuring no one is allowed to visit or communicate with them during half-time or at any other time during the match.

Looking at the improvements made since the 2022/2023 season, one could say that there is hope in sight for the revampment of the Nigeria Premier Football League. Though the progress has been slow, step by step, it is clear that even a drop of water can eventually make an ocean. If the restructuring of the league continues on its current positive trajectory, it will not be long before it begins to rival leagues in South Africa and Egypt. While much work remains before the NPFL can be considered an elite league, the potential is there for those concerned with the progress of the game.