Two of the four clubs relegated from the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are actively seeking alternative routes to stage an immediate return to the elite division, amid ongoing preparations for the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8.
Sources close to the developments confirmed to Sports247 that top officials of the two clubs have intensified efforts to acquire an NPFL slot through financial and political negotiations, following their failure to retain topflight status at the end of a disappointing campaign.
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In a separate telephone conversation, an official of one of the government-owned clubs revealed that they are actively exploring options to purchase a slot from any of the teams that qualify for promotion via the NNL Super 8.
“I can confirm that we are doing everything possible to ensure we play in the NPFL next season. The Governor is determined to address all the internal issues that derailed our progress last season. If we succeed in getting a slot, a new structure and management will be put in place,” the club official told Sports247.
Another official from a different relegated club echoed similar sentiments, stressing the state government’s unwillingness to see their team operate in the lower division.
“Our Governor is not comfortable with the idea of the team playing in the NNL under his administration. He’s ready to commit as much as ₦500 million to buy a slot from any of the qualified teams. It’s painful that after all the investment in a proven coach and timely payment of players’ salaries, we still got relegated.”
The clubs are reportedly monitoring the ongoing NNL Super 8 qualification process closely, with plans to initiate negotiations once the participating teams are officially confirmed. No date or venue has been announced yet for the Super 8 tournament, which will determine the four clubs promoted to the NPFL.
The four teams relegated from the NPFL at the end of the 2024/2025 season are Lobi Stars, Heartland FC, Akwa United, and Sunshine Stars.
It is worth recalling that Heartland FC had suffered relegation last season but were controversially reinstated into the NPFL after Beyond Limits Academy was deemed ineligible for promotion, due to their affiliation with NPFL club Remo Stars FC.
The current maneuverings have once again brought the issue of slot trading and structural integrity within Nigerian football into focus, as pressure mounts on clubs desperate to avoid life in the second tier
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