By Wale Mustapha
Nasarawa United striker Jofrank Istifanus celebrated a milestone on Wednesday, netting his first goal of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season in the rescheduled Matchday 9 clash against Remo Stars.
The young forward opened the scoring in the Solid Miners’ 2–1 victory at Lafia Township Stadium, marking a personal landmark in his debut NPFL campaign.
“I’m thrilled to score my first goal for Nasarawa United and in the league, especially since this is my debut season in the elite division,” Istifanus told Nasarawa United’s media team.
“I’ve been working hard for this opportunity, and I’m grateful to my teammates and coaches for their support. This goal is a reward for the effort I’ve put in, and I hope it opens the door for many more to come, God willing.”
The 21-year-old striker is now aiming to build on this breakthrough as Nasarawa United prepare to face Kwara United in their next league fixture this weekend.
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.
