By Dayo Awoniyi
Kano Pillars have bolstered their ranks with two key signings as the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season looms.
Prolific striker Aliyu Umar joins the Sai Masu Gida on a two-year deal from Niger Tornadoes after lighting up a pre-season tournament.
Umar stole the spotlight with a hat-trick against Cynosure FC, finished as top scorer with four goals, and proudly claimed the match ball for his heroics.
Also arriving in Kano is Olakunle Alaka, the former Akwa United midfielder, who has signed a two-year contract.
Alaka is expected to add balance, creativity, and composure in the middle of the park as Pillars set their sights on a title challenge.
With head coach Evans Ogenyi leading a rigorous pre-season at the historic Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano Pillars believe their new additions can hit the ground running.
The four-time NPFL champions are confident Umar’s firepower and Alaka’s midfield craft will provide the spark needed to make a strong statement in the new campaign.
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.
