The football landscape is constantly changing in Nigeria and although there are obvious issues, the steady growth is undeniable. The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is the elite tier in the Nigerian football system and has been the birthing ground for several big names, who have gone on to play at the highest level.
The NPFL has been bedeviled with financial issues overtime with clubs often unable to pay their players. However, there are quite a number of clubs that are well run and have plenty of financial muscle.
Below are some of the richest football clubs in Nigeria:
· Remo Stars
Remo Stars are considered one of the richest football clubs in Nigeria as they boast a high market value. Founded in 2010, they have come a long way in such a short space of time and are now one of the more prominent teams in the league.
They have spent much of their time playing in the lower rungs of Nigerian football but gained promotion to the NPFL ahead of the 2021-22 season. The Sagamu based club finished third on the rankings, qualifying for the CAF Confederations Cup, although they failed to progress to the group stage of the competition.
Under chairman Kunle Soname, Remo Stars are alleged to have a market value of €1.50 million. They play at the Gateway Stadium at Ikenne Remo which has a 20,000-seater capacity.
Soname is however more popular for the ownership of bet9ja, a Nigerian betting company that features heavily when looking through a list of the best betting apps in Nigeria.
· Lobi Stars
Owned and run by the Benue State government, Lobi Stars are generally considered to be one of the best run football clubs in Nigeria. A solid financial backing is one of the reasons for the smooth running of affairs at the club as they usually avoid the issues that usually trouble their contemporaries.
Due to the investment from the state government, Lobi Stars have not only become one of the richest football clubs in Nigeria, but they have also enjoyed some success over
time. The Makurdi based club has won every title available in Nigeria, including the NPFL, the Nigeria Super Cup and the FA Cup.
Founded in 1981, Lobi Stars play their home matches at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi. Tama Aondofar Emmanuel is tasked with running the affairs of the club which is believed to have a market value of €550,000.
· Plateau United
Founded in 1975, Plateau United is another state-owned club on this list as they are being run by the Plateau State government. They are one of the most popular teams in the NPFL with fans scattered all over the country.
Plateau United have earned some success in recent times, consistently finishing near the top end of the table. They won the NPFL title in 2017 and finished second during the 2021-22 season.
Pius Henwan is the Club chairman of Plateau United, who are reputed to have a market value of €375,000. They play out of the new Jos Stadium which is one of the largest grounds in the country with a capacity of 44,000.
· Abia Warriors
Founded in 2003, Abia Warriors have spent most of their existence in the shadows of their more successful neighbors Enyimba. However, in terms of finances, they are ranked up there with the best in the county.
Unlike their neighbors who are privately owned, Abia Warriors are owned by the state government. Managed by chairman Emeka Inyama, the club is believed to have a market value of €350,000.
Playing out of the 5,000-seater capacity Umuahia Township, they gained promotion to the NPFL in 2013 and have been a mainstay in the topflight since then. They are yet to win a league title but are usually one of the teams to look out for every season.
· Rivers United
Rivers United were founded in 2016 following the merging of Dolphins FC and Sharks FC. Given the history of the two merged clubs in Nigeria, they are generally regarded as one of the traditional teams in the country.
The merging of Sharks FC and Dolphins FC has brought Rivers United better financial stability with the state government previously struggling to manage both teams. The Port Harcourt based club is believed to have a market value of €225,000.
This financial stability has also yielded some success on the pitch in recent years. Having finished second several times in the last few years, they finally got their hands on the NPFL title in 2022 under the tutelage of manager Stanley Eguma.
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