Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has issued a strong warning to stakeholders resisting the planned overhaul of Nigeria’s domestic football structure, insisting there will be no going back on reforms designed to professionalise the league.
Olopade said the era of operating below acceptable standards must come to an end, stressing that clubs and administrators unwilling or unable to comply with the new requirements should reconsider their place in the Nigerian football ecosystem.
His comments come amid the NSC’s wider reform agenda, led by Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko, aimed at repositioning the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) as a commercially sustainable competition capable of attracting investors, improving governance and raising professional standards.
“There is no going back on these reforms. Anyone who cannot meet the required standards should step aside because Nigerian football must move forward,” Olopade said.
The NSC Director General also called for improved welfare for players, arguing that footballers deserve to earn a decent living from the game and should no longer be subjected to poor working conditions.
According to Olopade, creating a viable football economy is essential to ensuring that players, clubs, coaches, investors and other stakeholders all benefit from the growth of the domestic league.
“Our players cannot continue to be poorly rewarded. Football must create wealth for everyone within the ecosystem, and that’s only possible if we build a truly professional league,” he added.
Olopade further explained that the Commission’s vision extends beyond football, describing the proposed reforms as part of a broader strategy to transform sport into a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy through improved governance, private-sector investment and sustainable commercial structures.
The National Sports Commission is expected to continue engagements with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the NPFL, club owners and other stakeholders as work progresses on implementing the next phase of reforms for Nigerian domestic football.
