NFF Issues Licensing Warning to NPFL Clubs
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has delivered a firm warning to all Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs: comply fully with the club licensing regulations ahead of the 2026/27 season or face strict sanctions.
The directive came after the NFF Executive Committee meeting in Asaba, Delta State, where the federation welcomed the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) pledge to back the enforcement of the licensing framework without exception.
The communiqué from the meeting stated:
The Executive Committee hailed the pronouncement by the National Sports Commission that it is ready to provide full support to the NFF for the strict enforcement of the club licensing regulations, and to shun any attempt by any club to circumvent any of the provisions in the regulations.
The renewed stance aligns with the NSC’s broader reform agenda aimed at raising standards across domestic football. NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko recently unveiled a proposed prize pool of ₦2.5 billion for the 2026/27 NPFL season, alongside plans to raise the minimum player salary from ₦150,000 to ₦2 million.
NSC Director‑General Bukola Olopade emphasized the commission’s commitment to transforming Nigerian football:
We are determined to reform the league. We are going to reform the league. With President Bola Tinubu and the private sector, the funding that we are enjoying now has never been in the history of Nigerian sports.
We can reform our football through the league. If we get the league right, we get the national teams right, and we get football administration structures put in place.
Olopade defended the proposed ₦2 million minimum wage, arguing it would help retain talent and improve competition quality:
We cannot continue to see our players leave Nigeria for leagues in countries like the Benin Republic and Vietnam to earn as little as 800 dollars. We must build a professional league that provides the right environment for players to develop and thrive.
The NPFL board has tentatively scheduled the 2026/27 season to kick off between August 27 and 29, 2026, with the campaign set to run until May 28, 2027. The approved calendar also includes President Federation Cup fixtures to create a more organised domestic programme.
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