By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Gateway United, has appointed experienced football tactician Festus Allen as their new Head Coach for the 2024/2025 season.
The appointment was officially announced on Wednesday at the club’s Secretariat in Abeokuta, marking the start of a new era for the club as they aim to secure promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Allen, who previously managed Ijebu United, will now take the helm at Gateway United, guiding the Abeokuta-based club in their quest to secure one of the coveted NPFL promotion spots.
With his wealth of experience, including stints with top Nigerian clubs such as Shooting Stars, Sunshine Stars, and ABS FC, Allen is expected to bring both tactical acumen and leadership to the team.
“We are delighted to have Coach Festus Allen on board as we look ahead to the new season. His vast experience in Nigerian football will be invaluable as we aim to compete at the highest level and secure promotion,” said a statement from Gateway United.
Gateway United will kick off their 2024/2025 NNL campaign with an opening match against Godswill Akpabio FC when the season begins on November 30.
With Allen at the helm, the club is optimistic about their prospects for the upcoming season and their ambitions to return to the NPFL.
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.
