Lagos-based Smart City Football Club have unveiled experienced football administrator Betiku Seun Soji as the club’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO) ahead of the 2026/27 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The appointment is part of SmartCity’s preparations for the new campaign as the club continues its ambition of securing promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
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Betiku brings significant experience in football administration and team management to his new role, having worked across different levels of Nigerian football.
According to his professional profile, he previously served as Team Manager of Sunshine Stars FC, where he was responsible for the club’s overall operational administration. He also served as Team Manager of Sunshine Queens FC, the Nigerian Women’s Premier League side, between 2019 and 2021.
His experience also includes a spell as Team Manager of Rising Stars FC Akure, where he helped the club secure promotion from amateur football into the Nigerian National League.
Beyond club football, Betiku has been involved in grassroots sports development for more than a decade. He is the President of People United by Sports (PUBS), an organisation focused on promoting peace and harmony through sporting activities across Ondo State.
Through the organisation, he says more than 100 scholarships have been provided to vulnerable athletes, alongside empowerment initiatives for active and retired sports personnel.
He has also coordinated the Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic since 2017, a grassroots programme which has introduced more than 5,000 children between the ages of four and 12 to the fundamentals of lawn tennis.
Betiku holds a BSc in Mathematics from Kogi State University, Anyigba, as well as qualifications in Physical and Health Education and a Diploma in Football and Tennis Management.
His appointment comes as Smart City intensify preparations for the new NNL campaign. The Lagos club is among the teams listed in the proposed Conference B line-up for the 2026/27 season alongside Beyond Limits FA, Solution FC, Akwa United and other clubs.
Smart City, founded by Chief Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye, have established themselves as a club with a strong emphasis on grassroots development and creating professional pathways for young Nigerian footballers.
The club narrowly missed out on promotion to the NPFL in previous campaigns and have publicly maintained their ambition of reaching Nigeria’s top flight.
With Betiku now taking charge of the club’s operational affairs, Smart City will hope his experience in administration, team management and grassroots development can help provide the organisational structure needed for a successful 2026/27 campaign.
The appointment signals Smart City’s determination to combine its grassroots identity with stronger professional administration as the club targets a major push for NPFL promotion.
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