Exclusive: NPFL Deducts Kano Pillars’ EuroMatch Sponsorship Share to Settle ₦4.5m Player Debt
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has deducted money from Kano Pillars’ EuroMatch sponsorship entitlement to settle an outstanding contractual debt owed to former player Chukwuebuka Ogbonna, Sportsbeat has learnt.
Ogbonna confirmed to Sportsbeat that he has received payment directly from the NPFL following the enforcement of a decision of the Nigeria Football Federation Players Status and Arbitration Committee (NFF PSAC).
According to the former Kano Pillars player, the club had been ordered to pay ₦5 million but had only paid ₦500,000, leaving ₦4.5 million outstanding.
“Yes, I was paid by the NPFL directly, according to the information by my legal representative,” Ogbonna told Sportsbeat.
“The club only paid ₦500,000 out of the ₦5 million owed as directed as per the PSAC decisions.”
Ogbonna said the payment followed persistent intervention by his legal representatives, Myron Topclass Sport Outfits, who he credited with engaging the NFF PSAC and the new leadership of the league and repeatedly following up on the outstanding award.
“I want to commend Barr. Joshua Onoja the Secretary of the NFF PSAC and other members of the committee, like Mr. Austin Popo, Secretary of NANPF who quickly notified the new management of the league and also sent constant reminders before the change was effected,” he said.
The former Pillars player also praised the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Dr Ayo AbduRahman, for enforcing the outstanding obligation.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the NPFL led COO, Dr Ayo AbduRahman, for his political will to do the right thing,” Ogbonna said.
“The judgement was received last year December, but Kano Pillars never bothered. It was an indebtedness that they were supposed to have clear within 45 days, but they delayed and even defied the transfer ban placed on them by the PSAC.
“But thank God to NPFL deducting from source. They asked for account number and they credited within 48 hours. It’s commendable — slowly, surely.”
The development represents another significant step in the enforcement of football arbitration decisions, particularly where clubs fail to honour financial obligations awarded against them.
Ogbonna further commended the NFF PSAC, chaired by Otunba Sunday Dele-Ajayi, for standing by its decision despite what he described as provocations.
“I also would like to commend NFF PSAC led by Otunba Sunday Dele Ajayi. They have been courageous and dogged in the face of provocations and stood firm with their judgement,” he said.
The case also highlights the growing importance of enforcement mechanisms in Nigeria’s professional football structure, as players seek practical remedies when clubs fail to comply with arbitration awards.
The NPFL has previously demonstrated its willingness to impose and enforce financial sanctions against clubs. In October 2025, for instance, Kano Pillars were sanctioned following incidents surrounding their league fixture against Shooting Stars, with the NPFL imposing fines and other disciplinary measures.
For Ogbonna, however, the latest development is less about the money alone and more about seeing a long-standing football dispute of more than 3years finally reach a conclusion.
After months of waiting, the former Pillars player has now received the outstanding payment directly through the league’s intervention.
Sportsbeat understands that the development could further strengthen the use of direct enforcement mechanisms where clubs fail to honour duly established PSAC obligations.
