NPFL: IMC boss Gbenga Elegbeleye pledges fundamental changes in new season

The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has revealed that all participating clubs in the elite division will meet the requirements for the upcoming season.

Chairman of the committee, Gbenga Elegbeleye says the new season would witness the return of television broadcast of games and league commercialization, while assuring prize money would be attached to the league for next season.

“This is just the beginning. We have a lot of good things coming to the Nigerian league. We are going to go full commercial,” Elegbeleye told pressmen in Lagos.

“This is just to let Nigeria know that the winner of the coming season will collect 100 million Naira. 70 million for the winners up and the third-place team will get 50 million. Every club that participates in the league must get something to take home.”

In a bid to reduce the mass Exodus of NPFL players traveling abroad in search of greener pastures, the IMC Chairman assured that the salaries of players will witness a great increase.

“We want a situation where our players won’t be earning small money anymore. A situation where our footballers can earn 5 million or 10 Million per month. We are working on that,” the former NOC DG said.

“Clubs are cooperating. We are meeting with them and they also want changes. They want a better league for Nigeria. It is not okay for players to leave for North to play league football all because they want improvement.

“We should be able to take care of our footballers here instead of them leaving us in the name of greener pastures. They should earn more and stay in this country so that we can produce at least 60% of our national team players from the local league.”

A date for the 2022/2023 NPFL season is yet to be confirmed after the end of the 2021/2022 season in July.