NPFL Clubs Without Functional Websites risk losing licence

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs without functional websites have been issued an ultimatum to create and maintain one as one of the club licensing conditions to participate in the 2026/27 season.

Chief Operating Officer of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), Chief Davidson Owumi made the disclosure at the NPFL/Afrinvest workshop for clubs Marketing and Media Directors in Enugu on Wednesday.

Owumi harped on the imperative of clubs having digital presence that can provide access to information about the clubs, their players and other activities which provide supporting insight to sponsors and scouts to evaluate opportunities for commercial engagement with the clubs and the league.

“Access to credible and verifiable information about all the twenty NPFL clubs is an important marketing tool for the league to attract Sponsorship not just with the domestic economy but globally.

“Football is a global business and as such we must also play in the world stage which can only be achieved having presence in the digital space”, Owumi told the audience.

Warning on the consequences of non-compliance with the directive, Owumi said that clubs are expected to provide links to their website during the processing of registration at the NPFL office.

The NPFL Chief Operating Officer also asked leadership of the respective clubs to restructure their Media Units to meet the demands of operating an effective digital media that can compete favourably with contending business interests.

“For clubs to play effectively in the digital space, the media units must be properly and adequately equipped and staffed.

“It is no longer acceptable to have one media officer providing live match updates, handling video and running other functions. No, the media team should have a photographer for still pictures, a videographer, a graphics and a video editor to produce content which drives social media traffic”.

Harry Iwuala, the NPFL Communications and Media Director made a case for adequate funding of media departments at the clubs.

He challenged clubs management to invest in equipping the media with the right tools to grow their digital platforms to attract revenue.

“There are huge opportunities to rake in revenue for clubs from their performance in the digital space. Aside providing a window to attract scouts for players and sponsorship for the clubs, the social media platforms are additional streams of income”, Iwuala stressed.

Other resource persons at the workshop were George Isitua Onukwu, the Managing Director of TBWA Concepts, a global marketing agency, Nelson Ine, an Investment Banker and Director at GTI Assets Management and Dr. Derek Kaka’an, a lecturer with extensive experience in sports administration and marketing.

Pic 1… Prince Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL speaking at the workshop

Pic 2…4th from right… Prince Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL flanked by Emmanuel Eleojo of Afrinvest and Amobi Ezeaku, CEO of Rangers