Nigerian Football
LOBI STARS, PILLARS, ENYIMBA CHASE SUPER-6 QUALIFICATION; NPFL SEASON APPROACHES FINISH LINE
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
The regular season of the 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League features its penultimate round of matches on Monday evening with Rangers in Group A and Akwa United (Group B) the only sides assured of the Super Six title playoff. The top three teams in each group will challenge for the crown at a later date using a format yet to be announced.
In Group A, defending champions Lobi Stars, Enyimba and MFM – in that order – are among the teams queueing behind leaders Rangers, while Kano Pillars, El-Kanemi Warriors and FC Ifeanyi Ubah trail Akwa United in Group B.
Lobi Stars will all but seal their top three finish if they beat visiting Wikki Tourists. The first leg in Bauchi ended 1-1.
Wikki Tourists themselves have not given up hope of being one of the number when the Super Six is constituted. If Bauchi side win their final two matches of the season – the last being at home to Rangers – they may well be in the mix for the title battle.
Enyimba, in third place in the group, welcome to Aba Niger Tornadoes with whom they played goalless in the first leg. If they triumph, the People’s Elephant will also boost their aspiration of contesting for the title they last won in 2015.
Tornadoes will be relegated if they lose in Aba.
In Lagos, fourth placed MFM welcome Katsina United; both had played 1-1 in Katsina earlier in the season. The Olukoya Boys’ inconsistency have caused them troubles. From leading the group up till midway in the season, MFM have now fallen out of the top three and require favours from other teams to bounce back, even if they win their last two matches.
Katsina United themselves remain in contention for the top three but that hope will be extinguished if they don’t pick maximum points in Lagos.
Sunshine Stars may be a step above the bottom four but have three teams on their heels, including their hosts this evening Bendel Insurance, who will leap out of the relegation zone if they pull their sixth victory of the season. Too many draws (10 in all, like Lobi Stars) have landed Insurance in troubled waters. Both sides played 1-1 in Akure in the first leg.
Kwara United are condemned to beat Remo Stars if they are not to go down like their visitors. Remo Stars, who are playing their last matches in the topflight, triumphed 2-1 in the first leg.
In Group B, Kano Pillars and El-Kanemi Warriors complete the present top three together with Akwa United. And all three have home advantage this Matchday.
Pillars welcome to Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano Delta Force who got defeated in the first leg 0-2. Victory for Pillars will make their last match away to Abia Warriors not so important as they would have qualified for the Super Six, which victory over Delta Force will ensure.
But with Asaba-based side needing all six points in their remaining fixtures and determined to pay Pillars back in their own coins, the battle is expected to be fierce in Kano.
El-Kanemi Warriors, in third spot, engage fourth placed FC Ifeanyi Ubah in a game that may determine which of these big teams will drop out of the top three. The Nnewi side managed a lone goal victory the first time they both met this season.
While Nasarawa United, Heartland and Abia Warriors have all not given up trying to make the top three, their realistic focus should be on not slipping down into the bottom four. For instance, three points separate sixth placed Nasarawa United from Plateau United, who lead the relegation squad, with two matches remaining.
The other teams in the drop zone are Go Round FC, Gombe United and Yobe Desert Stars, who already know their fate. While Plateau United are expected to take advantage of Yobe Desert Stars’ low spirit to win and wriggle out of trouble, Nasarawa United and Go Round FC as well as Gombe United and Heartland will be engaged in relegation dogfights.
MATCHDAY 21 FIXTURES…
GROUP A
- Rangers v Rivers United
- Kwara United v Remo Stars
- Enyimba v Niger Tornadoes
- MFM v Katsina United,
- Bendel Insurance v Sunshine Stars
- Lobi Stars v Wikki Tourists (all 4pm)
GROUP B:
- Plateau United v Yobe Desert Stars
- Nasarawa United v Go Round FC
- Kano Pillars v Delta Force
- El-Kanemi Warriors v FC IfeanyiUbah
- Gombe United v Heartland
- Akwa United v Abia Warriors (all 4pm)
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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