NPFL: Elegbeleye, NANPF Clash Over ₦2m Minimum Wage for Players
The proposed ₦2 million monthly minimum wage for NPFL players has sparked a disagreement between the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) over how quickly the policy should be implemented.
While NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye insists that the salary reform must be introduced gradually to protect clubs from financial pressure, the NANPF has demanded immediate measures to guarantee the implementation and enforcement of the proposed benchmark.
Elegbeleye spoke on Saturday during the 2026 NPFL Annual General Meeting in Ibadan, where he addressed player welfare and the league’s ongoing reform programme.
The National Sports Commission (NSC), in conjunction with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), had proposed a ₦2 million minimum monthly salary for NPFL players as part of broader measures to improve welfare and professional standards in Nigerian football.
However, Elegbeleye said the league would not simply impose the figure on clubs without considering their financial capacity.
He recalled that the minimum salary was around ₦150,000 when the current NPFL administration assumed office before it was increased to ₦500,000.
“When we came in, it was ₦150,000 and we later increased it to ₦500,000. Now we are going to increase it, and we spoke with the clubs last night.
“We are not just going to jump to ₦2 million like that.
Reforms are gradual.”
The NPFL chairman stressed that any further salary increase must be sustainable and agreed upon with the clubs to avoid creating additional financial difficulties for participating teams.
NANPF Demands Immediate Implementation
However, the NANPF, at its 2026 Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, took a firmer position on the proposed salary benchmark.
The players’ union commended the NSC for proposing the ₦2 million minimum monthly wage and called on football authorities to establish mechanisms that would guarantee its full compliance and enforcement across the NPFL.
The union’s position effectively places it at odds with the NPFL’s gradual approach, with players’ representatives seeking a clear framework for the immediate implementation of the proposed wage.
Beyond salaries, the NANPF AGM also called on the NFF to reinstate the association as its legally affiliated players’ union and invite it to the September 2026 NFF Elective Congress.
The union said it has been a Congress member of the NFF since 2007 and should therefore be restored to its previous status.
The NANPF further urged professional footballers to work only with FIFA- and NFF-licensed agents when negotiating contracts, stressing the importance of protecting players’ contractual and career interests.
The union also directed its management to intensify negotiations with the NPFL, NNL and NWFL over a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The proposed agreement is expected to cover issues including union dues, statutory union funds from sponsorship revenues, player entitlements and a customised retirement scheme.
The NANPF also resolved to pursue affiliation with the FIFPRO Africa Division, while preparations were approved for its 2027 Elective Congress and 2026/27 Mid-Season Captains’ Seminar.
With the NPFL insisting on a gradual transition and the NANPF demanding stronger enforcement, the implementation of the ₦2 million minimum wage is set to remain a major talking point in the next phase of Nigeria’s domestic football reforms.
