2025 NWFL AGM Hailed By NFF President As Gusau Urges Body On More Growth

 

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The NFF President, Alh Ibrahim Gusau commended the Nigerian Women Football League Body for their remarkable achievement so far. Gusau made the commendation during the body's 2025 Annual General Meeting/Conference recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

"The AGM meeting started with the observation of arrival of guests and delegates, the NFF President and Hon. Commissioner for Sports, Rivers State to the auditorium venue for the Congress

"This was followed with recitation of the national anthem marking the actual commencement of the Congress.

In his welcome address, the National President of Nigeria Football Federation Alh. Ibrahim Musa Gusau, welcomed delegates who made it to the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Women Football League, describing it as an important gathering that brings together the heartbeat of women's football in the country.

He said that the Assembly is not merely a formality on the football calendar, but rather a defining moment of reflection, dialogue and shared commitment to strengthen the future of the women's game in Nigeria.

The NFF President whose address was presented by the former NWFL Chairperson, Ms Aisha Falode, while appreciating the Nigeria Women Football League for their dedication and all club administrators, players, coaches, match officials and partiners who continue to make sacrifices to sustain, advance women football ecosystem, he also thanked the government and people of Rivers State for their gracious hospitality and unflinching support towards development of sports particularly the women football across the nation 

According to the NFF President, the Assembly holds great significance because it comes at a time when the global football landscape is changing rapidly, adding that across continents, women's football has envoled from an after thought to a major growth engine of the global sports industry. He advised Nigeria, a country that has long been the pride of women's football in Africa to rise up to these new realities with innovation and structure.

The President recalled that for decades, Nigerian women have stood tall on the world stage as the Super Falcons remains the most successful women's national team in African continent, ten- times champion of Africa has featured in every edition of FIFA women world cup since it's inception.

He described the NWFL as the back bone of the nation's women's football pyramid as it is in the platform for which draws are born. The major concern therefore according to him is the inconsistency of the league calendar.

The President advised for the need to confront the issue of player welfare adding that the instability caused by unpaid wages, lack of standard contracts and the absence of medical or carrier - ending insurance cannot be ignored.

He said that Nigeria Football under his watch is fully committed to working with NWFL and all relevant stakeholders to address the concerns comprehensively adding that it will prove to strengthen the governance and compliance framework to ensure that club licencing regulation are enforced uniformly and transparently.

To declare the Assembly open, the Hon. Commissioner for Sports, Rivers State, Barr. Christopher Green thanked the organisers of the AGM in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers.

The Commissioner informed the participants that Rivers State will host the final draw of the NBBF Premier League. He pointed out that this is not their first time hosting the event back to back. According to him, the girls are ready while stating that the state has one of the best in the country especially as regards the Super Falcons..

The Commissioner's address was immediately followed by a vote of thanks by the Chief Operating Officer of the NWFL, Ms Modupe Shabi who also welcomed all delegates to the 2025 AGM.

She informed the delegates that the 2025/2026 NWFL Premiership League season would formerly begin on Wednesday, 26th November, 2025. She said that the league will go Christmas break after four matches and resume on 7th January, 2026 next year and end on 22nd April, 2026.

She briefed the delegates that a Super 6 event will be the curtain raiser for the season.

Modupe Shabi, in the course of her speech, warned people to stop destroying her name with all manner of falsehood insisting that she would no longer tolorate that. 

She reminded the delegates that though she is quite but then knows what she is doing. She informed the meeting that 6 teams will be relegated to the NWFL Championship while 2 teams will be promoted from the Championship.

For 2026/2027 NWFL Championship, 2 teams will be promoted to the NWFL Premiership while two will be relegated to the NWFL Nationwide.

She informed the delegates the season would be tough because there would be need to go back to real laws of Premiership not League.

She equally spoke on the need to have insurance for players adding that there is restriction on age limits for players in the NWFL Premiership who must not be younger than 17 years old as a prerequisite for a professional league.

She further stressed that each club can have maximum of 3 players between the age 15-17 only because the league is for adult and a professional league and not for children who are supposed to be in school.

The Chief Operational Officer informed the delegates that each club participating must present its annual financial report.

During the meeting, the COO took her time to attend to all the questions  and issues raised by club owners by giving it the required anwser needed.

The AGA was brought to an end after the reading & adoption of the communique with a motion for adjournment.

Prince Eze Chidiebere

Assistant Secretary, NWFLCOA