By Wale Mustapha
It was a dramatic final day in the Nigeria National League (NNL) regular season, as clubs across the country experienced contrasting fortunes — with Osun United securing a promotion playoff ticket and Gateway United suffering relegation to the amateur ranks.
Osun United claimed the final playoff spot in Group B after a decisive 3-1 victory over First Bank FC at the Lanreke Sports Complex in Ile-Ogbo on Saturday.
The win saw the Omoluabi Giants finish as group runners-up with 36 points from 20 matches, sealing their place in the promotion playoffs.
In Ilorin, ABS FC avoided relegation to the Nationwide League One (NLO) with a narrow 1-0 victory over Kun Khalifa FC, ensuring they retain their place in Nigeria’s second tier for another season.
However, it was the end of the road for Gateway United, who were relegated to the amateur division after a crushing 3-0 defeat to Godswill Akpabio FC in Uyo.
The Abeokuta-based club ended their campaign with six wins, five draws, and nine defeats — a disappointing return that ends their 15-year stay in the NNL.
With Osun United’s qualification, the full lineup for the Super 8 promotion playoffs is now confirmed.
The eight teams battling for a place in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are:
Wikki Tourists
Doma United
Yobe Desert Stars
Barau FC
Warri Wolves
Kun Khalifa FC
Crown FC
Osun United
The top two teams from each playoff group will earn promotion 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.
