Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has attributed the failure of the home-based squad, Super Eagles B, to advance beyond the group stage of the recently concluded African Nations Championship (CHAN) to the mass exodus of players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to foreign clubs.
Nigeria was eliminated from the championship, hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, after losing 0-1 to Senegal, 0-4 to Sudan, and beating Congo 2-0 in their three group matches. With one silver and two bronze medals from previous outings, the team, led by Coach Eric Chelle, was expected to perform better and compete for the trophy this time, but instead faced a premature exit.
Speaking at the 2025 NPFL awards held on Tuesday in Abuja, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi stated that the poor performance of the Super Eagles B at the CHAN tournament does not accurately reflect Nigeria’s domestic football leagues.
“We need to set the record straight because there are reports in certain quarters discussing the performance of our home-based team in the CHAN tournament and claiming it reflects our league. I categorically state that this is not a true reflection of our league.
“We must let people know that Nigeria has become a breeding ground for talent. The moment a player learns to trap, pass, and dribble the ball well, they become a professional footballer. While we strive to retain these players in our league to develop their skills, we are constrained by FIFA regulations, which require us to allow players to leave once they secure a contract. In contrast, other countries in Africa rarely see their talents leave for foreign clubs.
“I want to emphasise that the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has achieved a great deal. The new perspective on football is not just about the league; it encompasses football economics as well. Daily, I receive at least 20 applications from players invited by foreign clubs, which is a significant positive for us. This is why I believe we have over a thousand professional players globally, whereas in many countries we compete against, you seldom find more than five or ten professional players.
Therefore, the performance of the CHAN team is not reflective of our league,” Sanusi asserted.
According to the NFF Secretary, officiating in the NPFL has improved significantly. “We must do everything possible to support the league in its ongoing efforts. We have addressed the issue of officiating, and we are now witnessing teams winning away matches without complaints from the home side, who understand they have not been cheated. We are observing increased interest in the league, and rather than disparaging it, we should support it to enhance revenue through players moving abroad, which in turn boosts the economy. I congratulate the league, and to the doubters, please consider the evidence before speaking.
He further stated: “There is nothing we can do to prevent players from moving abroad because FIFA’s rules are unequivocal. Once a player secures a club and there is an agreement between their current club and the new one, they cannot be stopped from transferring. You have just two weeks to respond to the International Transfer Certificate (ITC), or FIFA will issue it automatically. Therefore, we cannot prevent players from pursuing opportunities with foreign clubs.”
