April 2025

The Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Mr. George Aluo has joined millions of football stakeholders in the country and abroad to congratulate Founder of Remo Stars Football Club, Honourable Kunle Soname on his birthday.

In a birthday message he personally signed, he noted that the board members of the second tier league are happy that he’s celebrating his birthday in good health and sound mind just as he prayed that God Almighty will continue to clothe him with garment of blessings and good health to enable him continue the good work he’s doing in moving the country’s football forward.

” We at NNL are happy with what Hon Soname is doing with Remo Stars and Beyond Limit FC. He’s one Nigerian who have through his ingenuity positioned Nigeria as a player in the international football business through his acquisition of Portuguese Club C.D. Feirense in 2015.

“The stadia he singlehandedly constructed at Remo is one of the best in Africa which has helped place Remo Stars as the leading football club side in the continent.

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” We are equally proud with his relationship with the most important league in the country which enabled us organise the first ever seminar for coaches and club media officers in his facility at Remo before the commencement of the present football season and we look forward to more partnership with him as we solidify on the successes recorded in the second tier League.

Aluo while noting that Soname’s entrepreneur skills which led to the establishment of leading football betting company in the country, Bet9ja and Valuejet, a fast private airline through which he has created jobs for thousands of youths will be ever remembered prayed God to continue to enrich him with wisdom, knowledge good health and long life so as to celebrate many more birthdays.

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(Nest of Champions) in Uyo is the only Nigerian stadium certified for international matches—an issue Dikko attributes to poor foundational decisions, lack of maintenance, and outdated concepts in stadium development.

To change that narrative, the NSC is prioritizing the rehabilitation of the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, followed by a phased revitalization of several other major venues, including:

• Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna
• Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan
• Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
• Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi

Additionally, the long-awaited concession of Lagos’ National Stadium, Surulere to a private investor is nearing completion.

The NSC also envisions transforming select stadiums—Abuja, Kaduna, Ibadan, and Lagos—into “Sport Cities”. These will be fully integrated complexes featuring hotels, malls, convention centers, offices, residences, and other entertainment infrastructure, creating an ecosystem that not only fosters sports development but drives economic growth and employment.

To professionally manage this overhaul, a National Sports Infrastructure Development and Management Board will soon be established, comprising experts from relevant sectors.

Dikko assured that, barring unforeseen setbacks, the Abuja stadium pitch and core infrastructure will be ready to host international events by September/October 2025—a milestone that will mark Nigeria’s re-entry into the global sporting stage.

“We are grateful to Mr. President for empowering us to pursue this ambitious but necessary transformation,” Dikko stated. “This is a road never traveled before at this scale, but it is a fundamental step in resetting, refocusing, and relaunching Nigerian sports.”

As Nigeria sets its sights on reclaiming its place in global sports, the NSC’s renewed drive may signal a long-awaited renaissance for a nation with immense sporting potential.

Nigerian Contingents at the 2025 Africa Weightlifting Championship in Mauritius have received a big financial boost after the Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Hon Bukola Olopade gave a personal donation of Three Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars ( 3800 Dollars ) to Athletes and officials of the team.

The DG who is currently in Moka, Mauritius, to boost the team’s morals at the championship gave the donation when he held a meeting with the Team and officials of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation on Wednesday.

” I bring you greetings from the Chairman of the Commission Mallam Shehu Dikko, who is the father of Sports in Nigeria”.

” He actually told me that I should remind you that weightlifting is part of the sport that as a country, we have a competitive edge as far as Africa and the World is concerned, so you must try to win a lot of medals here in Mauritius”.

” Therefore my slogan for you here in Mauritius is, more Gold , more money.As you are winning, you are getting your alert”.

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” I am also glad to inform you all that four of you have been shortlisted into the A Category of the Elite Programme of the Elite Athletes and Podium Board of the Commission and will get 20,000 Dollars each as your annual training grants. And by next week, the four of you will get 5000 Dollars each as part of your training Grants installment”.

” Your welfare is very paramount to us and it is a core mandate of the Commission under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to prioritise the welfare and well being of our Elite Athletes”.

” With this, you guys can now concentrate on your preparations without any distractions for the Commonwealth Games, the World Championship and ultimately the Olympic Games”, he concluded.

Nigeria currently has a contingent of six Athletes, four female and two male, taking part at the 2025 Africa Weightlifting Championship in Moka, Mauritius.

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In a bold move to safeguard the integrity of Nigerian football, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has issued a strong warning to referees and stakeholders across all tiers of domestic football, emphasizing zero tolerance for match manipulation and unethical practices.

With the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), and Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) at critical stages, and the Nationwide League One (NLO) kicking off today, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the NFF has expressed deep concern over potential external influences aimed at swaying refereeing decisions.

“The President and the General Secretary of the NFF have instituted a powerful monitoring committee with members deployed to all match centres,” a statement signed by NFF Refereeing Committee Secretary Mohammed Ameenu read. The committee is expected to independently report any deviations from the Laws of the Game or actions that may tarnish the image of Nigerian football.

In a rare show of transparency, the NFF also confirmed that most of the matches will be streamed live, giving fans and analysts the opportunity to scrutinize officiating decisions.

“All referees appointed for matches are hereby instructed to uphold the principles of equity, fairness and justice,” the statement continued. The consequences for failure to comply are severe—officials found guilty of misconduct could face a minimum 10-year ban from football and potential prosecution by State Security Services for match-fixing related offenses.

The directive serves as both a call to action and a warning, as the NFF seeks to elevate the standards of officiating and restore public trust in the domestic leagues.

“You are all warned ahead of time,” the statement concluded, underscoring the seriousness with which the Federation views this initiative.

This development marks one of the most assertive steps by the NFF in recent years to tackle corruption and ensure fair play across all levels of the game.

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As Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, head into their second-leg clash against Algeria in the final round of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)President Ibrahim Gusau has revealed to Exclusivenews.com.ng the reason behind the cash reward he extended to the team

Ibrahim Musa Gusau, revealed he promised the team N500,000 for every goal scored in the first leg of the tie against Algeria to encourage the girls to deliver a commanding performance. The incentive, he said, was a strategic move to make the return leg in Algeria less daunting.

“The performance of the girls has been overwhelming. They have remained consistent throughout the qualifiers,” Gusau told Exclusivenews.com.ng. “I wanted them to score more goals to ease the pressure ahead of the second leg. They came out strong and netted beautiful, undisputed goals. The motivation approach really paid off.”

The Flamingos responded in style, securing a 4-0 victory in the first leg played in Nigeria. Queen Joseph bagged a brace, while Zainab Raji and Aishat Animashaun added one goal each, giving the Nigerian side a commanding lead heading into Friday’s decisive match in Bilda.

Beyond the NFF’s N2 million reward, billionaire businessman and Remo Stars FC owner, Kunle Soname, further boosted the team’s spirit with a generous donation of N4 million.

Coach Bankole Olowookere’s girls are now firmly focused on securing their place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup scheduled to hold later this year in Morocco. With one foot already in the tournament, Gusau expressed confidence not just in qualification, but in the team surpassing their previous achievements on the global stage.

The overall winner of the two-legged tie will book a coveted ticket to the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

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The FCT FA Inter-Area Councils Women’s Football Tournament, proudly staging its maiden edition, has entered a thrilling new phase as four outstanding teams—Kuje, Kwali, AMAC, and Gwagwalada—have advanced from the group stages to the semifinals.

The tournament has lit up communities across the Federal Capital Territory, inspiring renewed commitment to girl-child empowerment through sport.

The semifinals will take place on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at the Area 3 Football Field in Abuja. Kuje Women Team will face Gwagwalada Women Team at 9:00 AM, followed by the clash between AMAC Women Team and Kwali Women Team at 10:00 AM.

Speaking on the progress of the tournament, Patrick Bassey, FCT FA Board Member and Chairman of the Technical Committee, commended the standard of play and the overall development being witnessed.

“The girls have displayed incredible determination and skill. The intensity of the matches has shown us that there’s deep, untapped potential in our communities. This tournament is already achieving what we envisioned—building a competitive spirit and a new future for women’s football in the FCT,” he stated.

In a major show of commitment, Pat Ajuma Ayegba—tournament sponsor, FCT FA Board Member, and Chairperson of the Women’s Football Committee—redeemed her pledge of ₦720,000, providing ₦120,000 in grants to each of the six participating teams.

The gesture not only boosted morale but reaffirmed her dedication to the empowerment of young girls through football.

“It’s been emotional for me watching these girls live their dreams. Many of them are stepping into a stadium for the first time. The happiness, pride, and hope they carry on their faces are reminders that this initiative is powerful. We’re not just organizing tournaments or matches—we are changing lives,” she remarked.

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Also speaking, the Chairman of Bwari Area Football Council, Felix Musa, whose team narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot, refused to be disappointed as he hailed the passion and investment of the FCT board member madam Ayegba.

“Our girls gave everything, and we’re proud of how far they came. But this is just the beginning. We are already preparing for the next edition, and we are determined to come back and win the maiden crown. We respect the competition, but Bwari will be ready to go all the way next time,” he said.

The winners will battle for the ultimate prize in the historic final on Sunday, April 27, with dignitaries from the football and government circles expected to attend.

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Abia Comets head coach Okechukwu Ejeh remains focused on guiding his side to the playoffs after they clinched a hard-fought home victory against Igbajo FC, breaking a streak of four consecutive home draws.

Speaking after the match, Ejeh expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, highlighting the hunger and determination shown by his players.

“Making the playoffs is still our target. We have not deviated from that,” said Ejeh. “The boys wanted the match more than the opponent — that’s why we won our first home game after getting four draws.”

The match also featured some of the club’s recent signings, who, according to the coach, showed promise despite still integrating into the squad.

“Some of our new additions during the mid-season window lived up to expectations. Yet, they are still blending with the team,” he added.

With eight matches left in the season, the victory has given Abia Comets a renewed sense of belief.

“This win has rekindled our hopes of making it to the playoffs, and we will leverage that to prosecute our remaining fixtures,” Ejeh affirmed.

He also took a moment to appreciate the fans: “A big thanks to our fans in Aba who came out to support the team. We don’t take that for granted.”

The win marks a turning point for the Comets as they prepare for a critical stretch in their campaign to secure a playoff berth.

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The two clubs representing Kano State in the Nigerian football leagues, Kano Pillars and Barau Football Club, suffered away defeats this weekend in the NPFL and NNL matches.

The Independent Mirror reports that, Enyimba International defeated Kano Pillars 2-1 in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 34 clash at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, Abia State.

In the Nigerian National League (NNL) Matchday 9 fixture, Sokoto United secured a 1-0 home victory over visiting Barau FC at the Giginya Memorial Stadium in Sokoto.

Joseph Atule opened the scoring for Enyimba in the 35th minute, finishing off a long-range free kick from Chinedu Ufere to give the home side a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Former Super Eagles forward and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Brown Ideye, doubled the lead in the 52nd minute, converting a pass from Quadri Olasunkanmi.

Kano Pillars pulled one back in the 81st minute after a penalty was awarded, Zulkifilu Muhammed missed from the spot, Neibi Akpesiri scored from the rebound, making it 2-1, and match ended with Enyimba claiming three points.

Meanwhile, in Sokoto, Elvis Ostia scored in the 55th minute to give Sokoto United a narrow 1-0 win over Barau FC.

With this result, Kano Pillars dropped to 9th place with 47 points in the NPFL standings, while Barau FC remain in 5th place with 9 points from 8 matches in the 2024/2025 NNL season.