NPFL: FCT FA chairman seeks reforms after N1bn boost

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Federal Capital Territory Football Association chairman Adam Mohammed has praised the National Sports Commission’s decision to increase the prize money for Nigeria Premier Football League champions to N1bn, describing it as a bold statement of intent for domestic football.

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However, he warned that the initiative must be backed by wider structural reforms if it is to have a lasting impact on the game.

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NSC chairman Shehu Dikko announced the landmark prize structure during a high-level meeting with Nigeria Football Federation officials in Abuja on Tuesday, confirming that champions of the 2026/27 NPFL season would receive N1bn, up from the previous N200m.

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The runners-up will receive N800m, while the third-placed team will earn N700m. Clubs across the rest of the table will also receive financial rewards based on their final positions.

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Speaking on Wednesday, Mohammed commended the NSC, the NFF and the NPFL for making an announcement that reflected the scale of Nigerian football’s potential.

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“Full credit goes to the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation, and the NPFL for making a statement that matches the scale of our football potential,” he said.

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The FCT FA chairman, however, stressed that prize money alone would not transform the domestic game without improvements in governance, infrastructure and commercial operations.

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“A massive incentive is welcome, but it should not be mistaken for a fully functional football system. If the league is not commercially viable, properly televised, safe for players, and trusted by fans, the prize money alone will not transform it,” Mohammed said.

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He stressed the need for clubs to adopt sustainable business models supported by predictable revenues and professional management structures rather than continuing to operate on the edge of financial survival.

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“The real objective should be building clubs that no longer struggle for survival but compete confidently on and off the pitch,” he said.

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He added that improved facilities, functional youth academies and transparent administration were essential if Nigerian clubs were to regain competitiveness in continental competitions.

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Mohammed also called on corporate Nigeria to move beyond tokenistic involvement in football and become genuine long-term partners in developing the sport.

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“Banks, telecommunications firms, airlines, energy companies, media organisations, and manufacturers all have roles to play in football’s value chain,” he said.

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“Our ambition should not be limited to offering the biggest prize money in Africa. We should focus on building the continent’s most-watched, most-trusted, and most-talent-producing league. That is the real trophy.”

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He acknowledged that Nigeria possessed all the ingredients needed to dominate African football but said the country had historically fallen short in execution.

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“What we have often lacked is transparency, accountability, and commercial discipline. This announcement can be a turning point if implementation matches the ambition,” Mohammed said.

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Alongside the prize money increase, the NSC also announced a minimum monthly salary of N2m for NPFL players, a significant rise from the previous minimum of N150,000, as part of efforts to improve player welfare, reduce the exodus of talent abroad and raise the overall standard of the league.

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Plans to return the NPFL to mainstream television were also said to be at an advanced stage, with Dikko describing broadcast visibility as non-negotiable.

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