By Dayo Awoniyi
Danlami Alanana has officially been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nigeria National League (NNL), succeeding Dr. Ayo Abdulrahman.
Alanana, a seasoned football administrator, is poised to bring a wealth of expertise to the position. His appointment comes at a critical time for the NNL as it seeks to strengthen its operations and continue the growth of Nigerian football at the grassroots level.
With a strong background in football governance, Alanana previously served as the inaugural Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL).
He has also held several key roles within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), including Head of the Inter-Clubs Department, where he collaborated with prominent figures to help shape the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The handover ceremony took place on March 27, 2025, marking the beginning of a new era for the NNL.
As the league embarks on its second stanza, matches are scheduled to take place across the country, although the encounter between Kebbi United and Yobe Desert Stars has been postponed following an auto crash involving the Yobe team.
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.
