February 19 – In the wake of Nigeria’s stunning success at the African Cup of Nations, the country’s top flight domestic league, the newly renamed the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), is to receive government help to sort out its financial difficulties and kick off next month.
According to Supersport, the NPFL’s League Management Committee (LMC) is working with the National Sports Commission and the finance ministry to help rescue Nigerian football from its financial crisis.
The LMC is now chaired by respected former Nigerian lawmaker, Hon. Nduka “The Duke” Irabor, who as a journalist in the 1980s served time for refusing to divulge his sources.
The Duke said: “We still can’t resolve the problem (of title sponsorship) and government is willing to help. We have a smart sports minister coupled with a finance minister who is willing to see how to assist the league, since it employs a large number of youth, through a developmental grant. Also, the president of the football federation is keen to see the league back in operation.
“This is the reason we didn’t start the league until we were guaranteed that funds was coming from somewhere.”
The 2012/13 season of the NPFL is now scheduled to kick off on March 9.
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