Nigeria Premier Football League club chairmen are demanding answers. They received ₦15 million each from the league’s commercial partnership. Under the arrangement, 60 per cent of sponsorship proceeds should go to the clubs. They expected at least ₦150 million each. The payment fell far short.
The NPFL has struggled to commercialise its product. Sponsorship deals are announced with fanfare. Distribution to clubs is opaque. In 2023, clubs protested over unpaid entitlements. In 2024, the league signed a partnership with GTI Asset Management. The clubs expected improved revenue. The current dispute follows a $2.5 million sponsorship deal. The sharing formula was meant to be 60 per cent to clubs, 40 per cent for logistics. The clubs say the maths does not add up.
A club chairman said the clubs received ₦15 million each. Based on the 60 per cent share, he argued, each club should get at least ₦150 million for the season. He questioned how the payments were calculated. The club owners are expected to meet NPFL management on Wednesday evening in Abuja. The meeting is scheduled for 7 pm at Top Rank Galaxy Hotel, Jabi Utako.
The NPFL management confirmed the meeting in a letter dated 28 October. It said the league was not prepared to host an emergency congress. The club owners would bear their own logistics costs. The meeting follows earlier consultations involving NPFL management and GTI.
The clubs have received about ₦50 million per season under previous arrangements. The latest payment is lower. That has deepened frustration. The chairmen want to know how the money was received, how the ₦15 million was calculated and when the next tranche will arrive. They are expecting another payment in November.
The dispute is about transparency. The sponsorship contract is not public. The clubs do not know the total value of the deal or the payment schedule. They rely on the league’s word. That trust is now strained.
Winners: NPFL management, which retains control of the funds. GTI, which avoids scrutiny. The clubs that can afford legal challenges. Losers: The clubs, which expected more. Players, if club revenues fall. Coaches and staff, whose salaries depend on club finances. Fans, who see another administrative crisis. The league’s credibility, which suffers. Nigerian football, which loses investor confidence.
Bottom Line: Fifteen million naira is not one hundred and fifty million. The clubs want answers. The meeting is on Wednesday. The NPFL must explain the maths. Transparency is not optional. If the clubs cannot trust the league’s numbers, the league cannot sell its product. The sponsors will notice.