Nigerian Football
A PARADE OF FOREIGN GOALKEEPERS AT NPFL SUPER 6
BY
GEORGE AKPAYEN
When the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Championship Playoffs gets
underway at the Agege Stadium in Lagos there will be a handful of foreign players
in the six clubs vying for the title and continental places.
However it is not the foreign players who will catch the fancy of followers in
the NPFL as there will be up to five foreign goalkeepers in the fold of the
competing sides and www.npfl.ngwrites
that two of them, Nana Bonsu with Rangers and Kano Pillars custodian Idrissu
Ibrahim, are already commanding first-team places.
NANA BONSU (RANGERS)
Bonsu has been in brilliant form this season for the Flying Antelopes who are
now eyeing a record eighth league title.
The former Ghana U17 national team goalkeeper is one of the shining lights among the foreign stoppers in the league this season, and that has been a major reason he has remained first-choice in the books of Rangers head coach Gbenga Ogunbote who prefers the 30-year-old ahead of Femi Thomas, Opubo Japhet and another Ghanaian ‘keeper Seidu Mutawakilu.
The former Ashanti Gold man who joined Rangers in January 2016 on a free brings to mind legendary Ghanaian goalkeeper Edward Ansah who remains famous in Nigeria’s top-flight for his time at some top clubs in the 1980’s to 1990’s including Abiola Babes, Leventis United and Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland).
IDRISSU IBRAHIM (KANO PILLARS)
The former King Faisal and AshantiGold goalkeeper joined Kano Pillars on a
two-year deal at the start of this season at the age of 32. Of course his
signing raised eyebrows in the city of Kano as ‘Sai Masu Gida’ were in dire
need of a proven stopper following the departure of David Obiazo to rivals
Plateau United after a fallout over their defeat at the AITEO Cup final to
Rangers last year.
With a floundering Danladi Isah who by his standards should be commanding the number one jersey but remains a bit rusty owing to little playing time, Idrissu easily claimed the position between the sticks this season. The Ghanaian goalkeeper has taken to the number one spot like a duck to water and surprisingly finished with 11 clean sheets — a feat only equalled by Mustapha Aliko of Niger Tornadoes, Amas Obasogie of Bendel Insurance and Plateau United’s Dele Ajiboye.
SEIDU MUTAWAKILU (RANGERS)
He is another impressive Ghanaian goalkeeper in the top division. The 23-year-old in his first season with Rangers in 2017 hit the ground running but this term has found it difficult to wrest the number one position from his countryman Bonsu. Mutawakilu has fallen in the pecking order of goalkeepers at Rangers and has only been handed just one appearance when the Enugu club suffered a 0-1 defeat at Wikki Tourists in Round 22 in the regular season.
FATAU DAUDA (ENYIMBA)
It is a Ghanaian affair in the goalkeeping area, and Fatau joins in the list of
foreign stoppers who will have their opportunity during the playoffs in Lagos.
He is known for his outlandish goalkeeping style and often times that has
robbed him of appearances and on other occasions, he is preferred between the
sticks when the going gets tough.
This season at Enyimba, the 34-year-old Ghanaian goalkeeper has shared
the responsibility of stopping the opposition with Theophilus Afelokhai and
Stanley Nwabali which led to four clean sheets in the regular season. He is
expected to play his part between the sticks for the People’s Elephant who are
also aiming for a record eighth league title.
JEAN EFALA (AKWA UNITED)
The 26-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper joined Akwa United before the start of
this season, and the plan from the outset was to make him a backup to
Olorunleke Ojo until the Promise Keepers suffered an opening day misfortune in
the hands of El-Kanemi Warriors with the club’s number one directly involved in
the error that led to their defeat.
Some followers of the NPFL still felt Olorunleke deserved a
second chance but the former Giwa FC man’s confidence level suffered for it,
and Akwa United’s Brazilian coach Rafael Everton turned to Efala. The ex-UMS de
Loum and Cotonsport stopper simply slotted into the number one position at Akwa
United and racked up seven clean sheets in the regular season. However, he lost
his place at the tail end of the regular campaign to Olorunleke with brilliant
performances including penalty saves against Delta Force and Yobe Desert Stars.
Efala is surely in for a straight fight for the number one position with
Olorunleke when the playoffs begins in Lagos on Monday.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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