TheCable

Ibrahim Gusau, president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), has inaugurated the new board of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL). 

According to a statement on the league’s Facebook page, the board was initiated on Wednesday.

“Club Licensing is a fundamental football development trajectory that the new Board must take very seriously. Therefore, I charge the new board to set a target which must be met by all Clubs as prerequisite for participation in the League,” Gusau said.

“I also want you to set a percentage compliance on Club Licensing requirements for each Club, so that every season, you can measure the extent of adherence by each Club.”

The newly constituted board replaces the Interim Management Committee (IMC) in handling the organisation and promotion of the Nigerian top-flight club football division.

Gbenga Elegbeleye was named the board’s chairman, while Danlami Ibrahim and Davidson Owumi were appointed secretary and chief operating officer (COO), respectively.

Other members include Daniel Amokachi, Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu, Poubeni Ogun, Okey Kpalukwu, Suleiman Umar and Dominic Iorfa.

The new board has a two-year tenure, the same as the boards of the Nigeria National League (NNL), the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and the Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO).

The IMC took the reins of the NPFL after the federal government scrapped the League Management Company (LMC) in 2022.

The sports ministry had declared LMC an “illegal” institution and not recognised by the government.

In replacement, the IMC organised the 2022/23 abridged league, which was won by Enyimba last month.

The league’s new season is billed to commence between August 26 and 27.