The winner of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) will get an increased prize of N200 million, up 33.3% from last season’s N150 million.
Gbenga Elegbeleye, chairman of the NPFL board, revealed the increase following the board’s and club owners’ Annual General Meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, when the teams also agreed on the next season’s scheduled kick-off date of August 31 and a 38-game schedule.
The season’s first match, on Saturday, August 31, would pit reigning champions Enugu Rangers against President Federation Cup champions El-Kanemi Warriors.
Following the meeting, Elegbeleye stated that the league board had doubled the prize money.
“When we came on board, we discovered that the prize money for the league winner was N50 million, which they never got. We promised to increase, and we paid N100m in our first season and N150m last season,” Elegbeleye said.
“Next season, the winner will get 200m, and the award of N1m each to the best player and coach is to encourage the players and coaches.
“We want Nigeria’s football system to have a new look for people to have confidence in us; we want to inject money into the league so that players will not run to smaller countries to start looking for clubs to play for.
“We want them to stay at home so our best legs will be here, we will pay them well, and we can have more players in the Super Eagles from the league.”
The NPFL board named Enugu Rangers’ coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, coach of the season.
Following the season’s opener in Enugu on August 31, the remaining nine match-day one matchups will be played the following weekend.
Remo Stars, the runners-up from last season, will travel to Abia Warriors; Lobi Stars will visit Akwa United; Bendel Insurance will face Rivers United; and Sunshine Stars will host Bayelsa United.
Newly promoted Ikorodu City will make their NPFL debut away to Kano Pillars in Kano, while Beyond Limits will make their top-flight home debut against nine-time champions Enyimba.
Nasarawa United will also make their comeback against Shooting Stars in Lafia.
Other games include a North-Central derby between Kwara United and the Niger Tornadoes, as well as a Plateau United match against Katsina United at the New Jos Stadium, where Enugu Rangers won last season.
