By Stephen Benjamin
Club officials participating in the ongoing Nationwide League One (NLO) at the Area 3 Football Pitch in Abuja have called for more support for grassroots football development.
The officials, who cited funding and welfare challenges affecting teams in the competition, made the call in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the competition.
They described grassroots football as a critical platform for youth development and talent discovery in Nigeria.
Stanley Igbo, Team Manager of RBM Sports FC, said his team was enjoying a strong campaign and currently tops Group A with two matches left to play.
“We have a very important match against Paul E FC, and our last game will be against Police Machine. It is going to be like a Champions League final because the competition is very tough,” he said.
Igbo disclosed that RBM Sports FC had amassed 14 points after seven matchdays, while Police Machine trails closely with 13 points.
According to him, the competition features nine teams in the group after one club withdrew, allegedly due to financial difficulties, he said.
He said that as far as grassroots football is concerned, funding remains a major challenge because there is little or no support from the government.
“In some environment, private clubs like ours receive support, but here we do everything ourselves,” he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of Woodpecker Football Club of Abuja, retired Brig.-Gen. Ola Toye, described the league as an important developmental platform for young players.
“This competition is part of our development plan because it gives the boys exposure and the right mentality through league experience,” he said.
Toye revealed that his side secured a 3-2 victory on matchday six and still had two games remaining in the campaign.
He, however, noted that maintaining a football club at the grassroots level remained financially demanding, especially for privately-owned teams.
“You know what it takes to feed the players, transport them, train them, and keep them together. It is not easy, especially for those of us sponsoring clubs personally,” he said.
According to him, each participating club paid about N600,000 as registration fees for the league.
“We are also the ones paying for the running of the league, if something can be done by those in charge, it will really help,” he said.
Toye added that his club had continued to create opportunities for players to pursue professional football careers locally and internationally.
“In 2025, Woodpecker Football Club represented Nigeria at the Dana Cup in Denmark, and we continue to expose our players by scouting opportunities,” he said.
Meanwhile, midfielder Eneh Ifeanyi of RBM Sports FC described football as a platform that has shaped his life positively in spite of challenges.
“Football has taught me a lot about life. There have been setbacks, stress, injuries, and pain, but it has also brought growth,” he said.
The player identified Cristiano Ronaldo as his role model, praising the Portuguese star’s confidence, hard work, and self-belief.
“I admire Ronaldo`s confidence and personality the most,” he said.
On his future ambitions, Ifeanyi expressed optimism about achieving greater heights in football within the next five years.
“I know I will be somewhere far better than where I am now. I believe there is no limit to how far I can go,” he said.
NAN reports that the ongoing NLO competition in Abuja continues to serve as a major avenue for talent discovery and youth engagement across the grassroots football ecosystem in Nigeria.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
