By Wale Mustapha
Midfielder Elijah Akanni is on the verge of joining Katsina United after bringing an end to his contract negotiations with Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) giants Enyimba FC.
Akanni, who arrived at the People’s Elephant in 2022 from the now-defunct MFM FC, saw his contract run out at the close of the 2024/25 campaign.
Despite featuring prominently under coach Stanley Eguma last season, the 23-year-old opted not to extend his stay in Aba.
Katsina United have since opened talks with the playmaker, and club sources indicate that an agreement is close, with Akanni expected to finalize the move before the new season kicks off.
The transfer would represent a major boost for the Chanji Boys, who are keen to strengthen their midfield options as they look to build on last season’s mid-table finish.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
