Grassroot football in Nigeria over the years has evolved no thanks to the strategies implored by Olushola Ogunnowo, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nationwide League One (formerly called Nigerian Amateur League).
The NLO is the third-tier level of domestic club football in Nigeria and oversees grassroot football; which had been left fallow for a long time, despite its large market size, as it’s 10 times larger than professional football and four times larger than all the sports put together in Nigeria.
The NLO via its platforms Division One and recently formed Youth League, which is a merger of Division 2 & 3, has more than 360 clubs in its fold and has within the last seven years created more opportunities for talent discovery, training and development, exposure and opportunities for our talented youths to jump-start their professional football careers.
It will interest critics of the NLO and indeed Nigerians, that 90% of the Super Eagles stars in the last 10 years never played in the professional league in Nigeria before jetting out to make careers for themselves in Europe and Asia.
The NLO platform produced talents turned household names like Leicester City duo of Wilfred Ndidi (Nath Boys Academy) and Kelechi Iheanacho, Paul Onuachu (FC Ebedei), Frank Onyeka (FC Ebedei), Raphael Onyedika (FC Ebedei), Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen (Ultimate Strikers Academy).
Before now, many of these talents are wasted in the country due to a lack of opportunity to harness them.
The NLO, targeting more than 10 million youths, with an age range from 10– 20-year-old, football business at the grassroot is now a big thrive for the well-structured football Academies and grassroots clubs.
A recent report by FIFA in 2023, indicates that a total of Seven Hundred And Twenty-Five (725) Nigerian players (Professional, Semi-Professional and Grassroot) were involved in the winter and summer transfer windows in 2022 which accounted for the fifth highest global transfer in the world, and was also represented in the top 10 most transferred women players globally.
Nigeria’s transfers commanded a total of $104.2m, which is the 19th highest in the world.
In the 2003 football season, the NLO under the guardian of innovative and astute football administrator Ogunowo recorded a few notable players transfer in both the summer and winter windows, with the biggest move, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro from Remo Stars to Inter Milan.
Akinsanmiro a product of Remo Stars Academy, Beyond Limit penned a 4-year deal with the Italian giant.
Remo Stars have shown critics, government clubs and indeed Nigerians that football is business.
Not taking anything away from the other NLO clubs and grassroots football academies in Nigeria, Barrister Churchill Oliseh, Founder and Proprietor of FC Ebedei remain the major source of exceptional grassroots talent discovery, training, development and exposing them to the outside world.
Within the two transfer windows this season no fewer than five (5) FC Ebedei products moved to Europe to continue their career development with the biggest Musbau Jamiu who inked a five-year deal with Danish SuperLiga side FC Midtjylland.
Mavlon FC of Makurdi also made significant progress in the transfer market as three of its players moved to Eastern Europe, Olubi Adams Sirach (Lithuania), Kelechi Success (Bulgaria) and Okpe Onoja (Bulgaria).
Ilaji FC of Ilaji, Oyo State also transferred its top scorer for last season Bolu Ogungbayi to SK Slavia Prague U19.
Since gaining promotion to the NLO, the Japanese league has been the Mecca of Iganmu FC products. In the last five transfer windows, six of their players have moved to North Macedonia and Asia.
In the 2021 Summer Transfer, former Nigeria Premier Football League poster boy and Shooting Stars striker
Sunday Adetunji moved to FK Shkupi ( North Macedonia) after having a stint with Iganmu FC in the NLO. Adetunji went on to become the highest goal scorer and Athlete of the Year after a season.
The Winter Transfer of 2022 saw the duo of Richard Ubong Monday and Izuchukwu Lawrence sign for Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan on study scholarship.
The Lagos-based team also made meaningful progress in the 2023 Winter Transfer as the trio of Adeola David Abayomi, AbdulRahmon Teslim Olaitan and Olasunkanmi Abdulwaheed Dayo moved to Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan on the same scholarship program. They’ll then sign the pro contract after 3 years.
Supreme King’s FC was also successful in the transfer window, transferring two players to European clubs during the last concluded season. Prosper Obah joined FC Vizela in the Portuguese 1st Division and Stanley Chukwudi Charles signed for Banik Ostrava Czech Republic 1st Division.
Rolly FC of Benin City, Edo products Eghosa Bello moved to Granada of Spain and Asata Friday to Licata Calcio FC of Italy.
Beyond Limits
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Beyond Limits to Inter Milan)
FC Ebedei to FC Midtjylland
Musbau Jamiu
Isa Musa Abubakar
Odekunle Musliu
Opebi Ibrahim
Inyere James
Mavlon FC
Olubi Adams Sirach: Lithuania
Kelechi Success: Bulgaria
Okpe Onoja: Bulgaria
Ilaji FC
Bolu Ogungbayi – SK Slavia Prague U19
Iganmu FC
(2021 Summer Transfer:
Sunday Adetunji (2021 NLO Season) FK Shkupi ( North Macedonia)was last season’s highest goal scorer and athlete of the year.
(2) 2022 Winter Transfer
Richard Ubong Monday ( 2021 NLO Season) Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan.
Study Scholarship.
(3) 2022 Winter Transfer
Izuchukwu Lawrence ( 2021 NLO Season) Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan.
Study Scholarship.
(1) 2023 Winter Transfer
Adeola David ABAYOMI ( 2022 NLO Season) Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan.
Study Scholarship.
(2) 2023 Winter Transfer
AbdulRahmon Teslim Olaitan ( 2022 NLO Season) Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan.
Study Scholarship.
(3) 2023 Winter Transfer
Olasunkanmi Abdulwaheed Dayo ( 2022 NLO Season) Fukuchiyama Seibi H.S. Kyoto Japan.
Study Scholarship.
Supreme King’s FC
Prosper Obah FC Vizela Portuguese 1st Division
Stanley Chukwudi Charles Banik Ostrava Czech Republic 1st Division.
Rolly FC
Eghosa Bello (Granada Spain
Asata Friday (Licata Calcio FC Italy)
