The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has warned clubs with outstanding Players’ Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC) decisions that their new signings could be barred from playing unless they fully comply with the rulings.
With the 2026/27 NPFL season scheduled to kick off on August 28, enforcement of salary-related decisions has emerged as a major issue ahead of the new campaign.
The position was reinforced at the NPFL Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ibadan, where players’ welfare and the proposed ₦2 million monthly minimum salary dominated discussions.
NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye said the league would work towards implementing the ₦2 million minimum salary recommended by the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), although immediate implementation may require further consideration.
The National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF), however, has called for immediate implementation, arguing that the proposed salary structure is critical to improving players’ welfare and financial security.
Beyond the proposed wage structure, the NPFL is also moving to enforce existing PSAC rulings against clubs that have failed to settle outstanding player debts.
A senior NPFL source told sports247 that there would be no waiver for clubs that remain non-compliant with the PSAC decisions.
“There will be no waiver. Any club with outstanding payments from 2025/2026 season and PSAC decision that has failed to complied will not be allowed to register and obtain licences for new players, until full compliance.
“This is not about punishing clubs; it is about sanitising the system and protecting the rights of players.”
The source added that the enforcement was necessary to protect the credibility of the league.
“Clubs cannot continue to sign new players while refusing to pay players they previously engaged. The rules must apply to everyone.”
Some PSAC decisions reportedly date back to December 2025, with affected clubs yet to fulfil their obligations despite the expiration of stipulated compliance periods and notices sent to them from PSAC.
Niger Tornadoes are among the clubs reportedly under scrutiny over an outstanding salary dispute involving approximately ₦1.3 million owed to a player for about two years.
The enforcement could have a direct impact on clubs seeking to register new recruits for the coming season, with sources close to the NPFL and NFF insisting that there will be no relaxation or waiver of existing sanctions.
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