Sports

NNL Chairman Promises Exciting Second Stanza

Published

2 years ago

March 21, 2025

The Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL) has assured fans and stakeholders of a more competitive and well-organized second stanza of the season.

Speaking on Friday in Abuja at the 2025 Next Level Scouting event, held at the Turf Arena, Central Business District, Aluo emphasized that the league is committed to maintaining high standards.

The scourting event, organized in partnership with USYAK Academy, attracted over 10 scouts from around the world, all keen on discovering future football stars.

Aluo acknowledged that while the first stanza of the league had been successful, the second phase would be more challenging due to increased competition and desperation among clubs.

“We know the second stanza will be more difficult because desperation sets in. That’s why we need to closely monitor matches, ensuring officiating remains as fair and transparent as it was in the first phase. Clubs that deserve to win should win, whether playing at home or away.”

“Like in the first stanza, all our matches will be live on television and streaming platforms. We also want to improve match venues—some of the pitches are not up to standard.We’ve given clubs until the 28th of this month to upgrade their pitches or relocate to better venues because we want matches played in TV-friendly stadiums.”

Aluo praised referees for their efforts in ensuring credible officiating, which has contributed to the league’s growing popularity.

“I want to commend the referees for their job. It may not be 100% perfect, but officiating has been very good.

“Fans have also been wonderful, and their enthusiasm is attracting more people to NNL matches. We’re seeing crowds at NNL games almost as much as in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). That’s a great sign for our growth.”

Regarding the NNL Super 8, Aluo confirmed that while the venue is yet to be finalized, it will be announced before the end of the league season: “We’re happy with the progress of the league, and we believe the second stanza will be even better. As for the Super 8, the venue will be announced before the league concludes.”

He also expressed gratitude to the media for their role in promoting the league’s positive image: “I want to thank the media for their unwavering support. They have been instrumental in driving the league forward, and with their continued backing, we will take the NNL to the next level.”

With these assurances, fans can look forward to a thrilling and competitive second stanza, as teams battle for promotion, relegation and a place in the NNL Super 8.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

7 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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