Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba, have been charged to use N50m of the N100m their prize money to recruit quality players and upgrade the facilities at the Aba Township Stadium to be able to compete favourably on the continent and meet infrastructural conditions set by CAF for hosting Champions League matches.
The Chairman of the NPFL Interim Management Committee (IMC), Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, who laid the charge to Enyimba Chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu in Lagos said the club must give priority to the two critical needs.
“Let me again congratulate Enyimba International for emerging the champions but it has to be stated that in line with the developmental trajectories of the IMC and our investment partners, GTI, there is a portion of the money tied to certain projects.
“Of the N100m, the club must spend a minimum of N25m on quality players’ recruitment to strengthen their squad and be able to represent the country well in the CAF Champions League next season.
“We have seen how deep the squads of clubs from the North African countries are, they recruit some of the best in their country and outside hence their strong showing on the continent. It is the reason we have ensured that a reasonable amount is provided as prize money”, the IMC Chairman explained.
“Another N25m of the prize money must be spent by the club on upgrading of facilities in the stadium identified to fall short of acceptable standards while the remaining N50m is at the disposal of the Club to spend as it considers appropriate.
“It is not that the IMC will have anything to do with the actual spending nor determine for the club who executes the project but simply stating the guidelines on the allocation of portions of the prize money”, Elegbeleye further stated.
Elegbeleye also said that there would be expansion of the bracket of financial rewards as more sponsors are attracted to raise the financial base of the NPFL.
At the end of the Championship Play-Off in Lagos, Enyimba and Remo Stars picked the tickets to represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League while former champions, Rivers United who finished third on the table will feature in the Confederation Cup.
