NPFL can be Africa’s best league — IMC Chairman says ahead of Super 6 playoff

Gbenga Elegbeleye, the head of the Nigeria Professional Football League's (NPFL) organising body, Interim Management Committee (IMC), has stated that the country’s top-tier league has the potential to become best in Africa.

In January, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) listed the NPFL in 77th place among the 80 strongest leagues in the world.

The 2023 season of the Nigeria's top division will see the top three teams from Groups A and B of the regular season, converge in Lagos to compete for the league title via an expectedly exciting Super 6 playoffs.

According to the IMC boss during a radio programme on Kennis FM on Wednesday, he hopes that the current NPFL season will bring out the best from the participating clubs and organisers.

“The Super 6 is going to be a football fiesta that will showcase Nigerian football because throughout the season, we have enjoyed fair officiating and we hope to step up on that as the best six teams play in Lagos,” Elegbeleye said on the show.

“All our matches will be live on SuperSport and streaming platforms. We want to give Nigerians the best because we have the capacity to do it.

"Our league should be the best in Africa because we have the market and in the period that we have been there, we have shown that it is not difficult to do. All it takes is ideas, resilience, determination to get the best," he added.

The Super 6 playoffs will feature Group A winners Bendel Insurance, defending champions Rivers United, 1999 winners Lobi Stars, record Nigerian champions Enyimba, Remo Stars and Sunshine Stars.

The playoffs will start on Saturday, June 3 and run till Sunday, June 11 is expected to produce Nigeria's new league champion and the two other teams to play in next season's CAF Champions League, and CAF Confederation Cup.

A prize money of N100m has been set aside for the winner of the 2023 NPFL season.