Mohammed Babaganaru has backed Kano Pillars to survive NPFL relegation after veteran midfielder Rabiu Ali’s first-half penalty sealed a precious 1-0 victory over Warri Wolves on Matchday 37, moving the Sai Masu Gida to 48 points and one ahead of their final-day opponents Plateau United.
Mohammed Babaganaru did not dress it up. Kano Pillars needed the three points against Warri Wolves, they got them through the most reliable means available to them, and now everything comes down to one game in Jos. The Sai Masu Gida’s technical adviser delivered his message to the club’s supporters with the measured confidence of a man who has been in difficult positions before and found his way through.
“We thank God for getting the maximum three points, and clean sheet as well. It was a good win for us,” Babaganaru said after Sunday’s Matchday 37 result. “Our next match is against Plateau United, and anything can happen. If you look at the table, Plateau United are also struggling. I think they have 47 points, while we have 48. Anything can happen like I said earlier until the end of the season.”
His message to the club’s fanbase was direct: stay calm, stay prayerful, and keep believing. “We are focused, determined, and optimistic of surviving relegation by the last match of the season. Our fans must also remain calm, prayerful, and continue believing in us. God will definitely do it for us.”
Fans following the NPFL relegation battle through to the final day on May 24 can get ahead with the Bet9ja code for today as the survival drama reaches its conclusion across all venues simultaneously.
Rabiu Ali: The Old Guard Steps Up
It was fitting that the goal which kept Kano Pillars’ top-flight hopes alive came from Rabiu Ali. The veteran midfielder, one of the most celebrated figures in NPFL history and a player whose entire senior career has been built around the club, stepped up to convert from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, giving Babaganaru’s side the lead they needed and, as it turned out, the winning margin.
Ali’s relationship with Kano Pillars spans more than a decade of top-flight Nigerian football. He has been through title-winning campaigns, lean years, and everything in between. That he should be the man to deliver the goal that gives the four-time champions a fighting chance of avoiding the drop is the kind of detail that the club’s supporters in the north will hold onto as they prepare for what could be the most significant 90 minutes of their recent history.
Warri Wolves, who are themselves fighting relegation with 46 points after the defeat, now face a final day of their own reckoning. Their loss at Kano made their own situation considerably more precarious as the table tightened heading into May 24.
The Final-Day Relegation Picture
The congestion in the bottom half of the 2025-26 NPFL table heading into Matchday 38 is extraordinary. Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourists have already been confirmed as the two relegated clubs following their results on Matchday 37. Every other club from 10th place down to 18th still carries some degree of mathematical risk, making the May 24 simultaneous kickoffs one of the most dramatic finales in recent NPFL history.
| Club | Points (after MD37) | MD38 Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Kano Pillars | 48 | Away vs Plateau United (Jos) |
| Plateau United | 47 | Home vs Kano Pillars (Jos) |
| Warri Wolves | 46 | Home vs Abia Warriors |
| Enyimba | 46 | Home vs El-Kanemi Warriors |
| Kun Khalifat | 46 | Home vs Wikki Tourists |
| Remo Stars | 46 | Away vs Bendel Insurance |
| Niger Tornadoes | 45 | Home vs Shooting Stars |
| Bayelsa United | RELEGATED | Home vs Kwara United |
| Wikki Tourists | RELEGATED | Away vs Kun Khalifat |
The one-point gap between Kano Pillars and Plateau United means the Jos encounter carries enormous bilateral weight. A Pillars win confirms their survival regardless of what happens elsewhere. A defeat leaves them at the mercy of other results across a table where a single goal on the final day could separate safety from the drop. Supporters who want to follow all the simultaneous Matchday 38 action can check the Bet9ja YOHAIG welcome code for the latest registration offers ahead of kick-off on May 24.
What This Means For A Club Of Kano Pillars’ Stature
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Kano Pillars are one of the most storied clubs in Nigerian football history. They have won the NPFL title four times, in 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2014-15, and have served for decades as one of the most reliable representatives of northern Nigerian football in the national league. The idea of the Sai Masu Gida competing in the NNL rather than the NPFL is a jarring one for anyone who has followed domestic Nigerian football closely.
The club have not always been comfortable in their post-golden-era years. Their last title came over a decade ago and the years since have brought more struggle than success. But dropping out of the top flight entirely would represent a new low, and it explains both the weight of Babaganaru’s words and the caution behind his optimism. He knows the stakes. His players know the stakes. The question is whether they can hold their nerve in Jos when everything is on the line.
Plateau United, their final-day opponents, are one point below them and facing an identical pressure from the other side of the ledger. The match is essentially a six-pointer in which the loser has no guarantee of survival and the winner takes a significant step toward safety. As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, the NPFL has confirmed simultaneous 4pm kickoffs across all Matchday 38 venues to prevent any club from benefiting from knowing other results, ensuring the final day’s drama plays out in real time everywhere at once. Readers following the May 24 climax can also use the Bet9ja accumulator tips page for guidance on how to approach the final round of NPFL fixtures.
📌 Did You Know?
- Kano Pillars have won the NPFL title four times, in the 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2014-15 seasons, making them one of only a handful of clubs in Nigerian football history to have won the league title on multiple occasions.
- Rabiu Ali, who scored the decisive penalty against Warri Wolves, is regarded as one of the greatest one-club men in NPFL history. He has spent the majority of his senior career at Kano Pillars and has won multiple league titles and individual honours with the club.
- The NPFL confirmed simultaneous 4pm kickoffs for all Matchday 37 and Matchday 38 fixtures after issuing a warning that clubs found guilty of violating the directive could face a deduction of three points and three goals, a severe penalty designed to protect sporting integrity in the title race and relegation battle.
- Mohammed Babaganaru previously managed Kano Pillars during earlier periods of the club’s history and returned to the dugout this season in a bid to steer the Sai Masu Gida away from the most precarious position they have occupied in years.
- Plateau United, Kano Pillars’ Matchday 38 opponents, are based in Jos and play their home fixtures at the New Jos Stadium, a ground with a capacity of roughly 30,000 spectators and a history of producing intense atmospheres for high-stakes matches.
- Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourists were confirmed relegated after Matchday 37, with Wikki’s drop particularly significant given they were one of the founding clubs of the NPFL era and had previously won the Nigerian league championship.
- The 2025-26 NPFL season produced two separate storylines of historic proportions on its final weekend, with the title race between Enugu Rangers and Rivers United and the relegation battle involving at least eight clubs both going to the very last fixture on May 24.
