NNL Bars Relegated Clubs Over Debts, Spurs Rush to Clear Obligations

Five clubs recently relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Akwa United, Heartland, Lobi Stars, Sunshine Stars, and Gombe United—have been prevented from registering for the 2025-26 season of the Nigeria National League (NNL) due to outstanding debts. A circular signed by NNL Chief Operating Officer Danlami Alanana declared that clubs owing money to players, coaches, or administrators will not be cleared until they settle or prove compliance.

The debts in question relate to rulings made by the NFF Players Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC). The circular emphasised that only when the clubs provide verifiable evidence of compliance with PSAC decisions will they be allowed to register for the league.

With relegation already confirmed for the 2024-25 season, the clubs are now in a race to resolve their financial issues in order to participate in the NNL. Some state governments backing these clubs are reportedly under pressure to intervene.

Editorial

We believe the NNL’s decision to bar clubs for unpaid liabilities is a necessary, though tough, measure. Professional football cannot thrive where contractual obligations are treated as optional. Players, coaches and staff must be able to count on formal decisions being honoured, or else trust erodes and morale suffers.

Relegated or not, clubs with legacy debts undermine the integrity of competition. Barring them from registration places the burden on management to prioritise fiscal responsibility. It may hurt in the short term, but setting precedents matters: future administrations will understand that financial discipline is non-negotiable.

For the clubs involved, the current predicament offers both a warning and an opportunity. Clearing debts becomes not just a legal or moral task, but a strategic one. Particular urgency comes from the fact that registration deadlines are looming; failure to comply may mean missing out altogether.

Fans, too, must recognize that support is more than cheering—it includes advocacy for better governance, transparency, and accountability in the clubs they love. State governments, often financial backers, must step up to ensure clubs are run sustainably.

We expect that several of these teams will scramble to meet the demands. But as they do, they must build systems that prevent recurrence. For Nigerian football to rise, clubs must become as sound off the pitch as they aim to be renowned on it.

Did You Know?

1. The affected clubs Akwa United, Heartland, Lobi Stars, Sunshine Stars, and Gombe United were all relegated from the NPFL at the end of the 2024-25 season.
2. The Nigeria National League (NNL) COO, Danlami Alanana, signed the circular barring clubs with outstanding obligations from registering.
3. The debts relate to cases already decided by the NFF Players Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC), meaning the clubs’ obligations are legally binding and not just disputed claims.
4. Some of these clubs are considering slot purchases essentially buying promotion spots from teams in the NNL—to return immediately to the NPFL.
5. The bar on registration applies specifically to the 2025-26 season, meaning if these clubs fail to comply in time, they will be unable to participate in the upcoming NNL campaign.