Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCT FA), Adam Mouktar Mohammed, has welcomed the decision to increase the prize money for winners of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to a minimum of N1 billion, describing it as a landmark development for domestic football.
The new prize structure for the 2026/27 season was announced on Tuesday by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko. Under the proposed arrangement, the league champions will receive at least N1 billion, while the runners-up and third-placed teams are expected to earn N500 million and N300 million respectively, pending official ratification by league authorities.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Mohammed said the initiative signalled a renewed commitment to football development and could help attract greater investment into the local game.
He praised the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the NPFL for taking a bold step that reflects the vast potential of Nigerian football.
According to him, the enhanced prize money should be viewed as more than a financial reward, stressing that it must serve as a catalyst for wider reforms across the football ecosystem.
“A massive incentive is welcome, but it should not be mistaken for a fully functional football system,” he said.
Mohammed argued that lasting progress would depend on stronger governance, improved infrastructure, commercial viability, quality broadcasting and greater fan confidence.
He urged clubs to adopt sustainable business models backed by predictable revenue streams and professional management structures, noting that the ultimate goal should be to build clubs capable of thriving both on and off the pitch.
The FCT FA boss also challenged corporate organisations to move beyond traditional sponsorship and become strategic partners in football development.
He maintained that Nigeria possesses the talent, population and commercial strength to dominate African football, but emphasised that transparency, accountability and sound administration remain critical to achieving that ambition.
“Our goal should not simply be to offer the biggest prize money in Africa,” Mohammed said. “We must build the continent’s most watched, most trusted and most talent-producing league.”
