NANPF Reaffirms Legal Status as Nigeria’s Players’ Trade Union, Insists on Statutory Welfare and Labour Representation Role
The National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) has reaffirmed its legal status as a recognised trade union for professional and semi-professional footballers in Nigeria, insisting that its statutory mandate over players’ welfare and labour representation remains intact.
The position was contained in a statement issued following the recent interactive session involving the National Sports Commission (NSC) and a FIFA delegation.
NANPF said recent interpretations of the meeting had created misconceptions about the legal position of players’ unions in Nigeria and the scope of its responsibilities.
While welcoming the engagement with the NSC and FIFA, the association stressed that its status under Nigeria’s labour laws should be distinguished from the administrative framework governing sports and football.
NANPF Cites Trade Unions Act as Basis for Legal Status
NANPF said its registration under the Trade Unions Act, with Certificate No. 0122, gives it an independent legal identity as a recognised trade union representing professional and semi-professional footballers across Nigerian leagues.
According to the association, its inclusion within the framework of the National Sports Commission Act does not extinguish, replace or override the rights and responsibilities it derives from the Trade Unions Act.
The union consequently maintained that its statutory position must be considered independently of administrative structures within the sports sector.
Players’ Welfare Remains Central to NANPF Mandate
At the heart of NANPF’s position is its assertion that players’ employment and welfare matters fall within its statutory labour mandate.
The association said this includes collective bargaining, workplace conditions, contractual issues, contract enforcement and formal labour representation for professional footballers.
NANPF argued that these responsibilities cannot simply be reassigned through administrative preference or government directive without regard to the provisions of existing labour legislation.
The position places players’ welfare at the centre of the continuing conversation about the structure of football administration and player representation in Nigeria.
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‘Unity Must Respect Democratic Rights’
Despite its firm position on its legal status, NANPF said it remains committed to achieving greater unity within the players’ community.
The association, however, stressed that any attempt to create a unified players’ bloc must be founded on democratic principles, legal due process and the voluntary consent of footballers.
For NANPF, unity should not mean the administrative displacement of an existing legal structure or the removal of the rights of registered members.
It said any structured alignment involving players’ representative bodies must respect the Trade Unions Act and preserve the democratic rights of footballers.
NANPF Says NFF Congress Litigation Remains Active
The players’ union also stated that ongoing legal proceedings concerning players’ representation within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Congress remain unaffected.
According to NANPF, the cases concern constitutional governance and statutory compliance within the NFF and are distinct from administrative directives or engagements involving the National Sports Commission.
The association therefore maintained that the recent meeting involving the NSC and FIFA delegation does not alter the status of the pending proceedings.
Union Open to FIFA, NSC and NFF Collaboration
NANPF nevertheless expressed its readiness to work with the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA as football reforms continue.
The association said its position is not against collaboration, but is aimed at ensuring that reforms recognise the legal framework governing players’ representation while protecting their welfare and employment rights.
“True and lasting unity must be built on democratic principles, legal due process, and the voluntary consent of players,” NANPF stated.
The latest position adds another dimension to the continuing debate over players’ representation in Nigerian football, with NANPF insisting that any reform of the system must take account of its claimed statutory trade union status and its role in protecting the labour and welfare interests of professional footballers.
