By Wale Mustapha
Veteran Nigerian striker Ismaila Gata has completed a move to Benin Republic Premier League side ASVO FC, signing a two-year contract with the club.
Gata, the eldest of three footballing brothers, joins ASVO after a successful spell with Kwara United, where he played a pivotal role in the club’s triumph in the 2025 President Federation Cup and their survival in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The prolific forward was officially unveiled by ASVO FC this week, marking the start of his first professional stint outside Nigeria.
Gata’s arrival is seen as a major boost for the Beninoise club, with expectations high that his experience and goal-scoring pedigree will bolster their attacking options in the upcoming season.
Over the years, the well-traveled forward has represented several top NPFL clubs including Shooting Stars, Enyimba FC, Niger Tornadoes, FC Ifeanyi Ubah, and ABS FC.
His move to ASVO represents a new chapter in a career that has seen him consistently deliver in front of goal at the domestic level.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
