The debate over the best structure for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has resurfaced, with some football stakeholders calling for the competition to adopt a conference-based system to reduce the financial and security challenges associated with long-distance travel.
The current NPFL format features 20 teams playing a 38-game season, requiring clubs to travel across different parts of the country for away matches. While travelling for league games is normal in football, the situation in Nigeria presents additional challenges because of poor roads, insecurity and the high cost of transportation.
Recent incidents involving Nigerian clubs have highlighted the risks. In June 2026, members of Rivers United were injured when their team bus was involved in an accident while travelling to Awka for a cup match. Earlier in the year, Bayelsa United also experienced a dangerous incident when a tyre reportedly came off their bus during a journey to Kano.
Security concerns have also affected travelling teams. In December 2024, El-Kanemi Warriors were attacked by armed robbers while returning from Lagos, leaving several players and officials injured.
For clubs that can afford it, travelling by air offers a safer alternative, but the expense is considerable. Enyimba, for example, reportedly spends millions of naira on flights, accommodation, feeding and other logistics for some away fixtures. With 38 league matches in a season, such expenses can put enormous pressure on club finances.
This has strengthened calls for the NPFL to consider a conference system similar to the structure used in the NBA. Under the proposed arrangement, the 20 teams would be divided into two groups, with the best-performing teams from each conference progressing to a championship playoff.
Supporters of the proposal argue that it would reduce the number of long-distance journeys, lower operational costs and improve player safety. It could also allow clubs to spend less time travelling and more time preparing for matches.
Sports development advocate Yemi Idowu believes the league needs to take Nigeria’s transportation challenges into account when designing its competition structure. He argues that teams should play more games within their geographical areas rather than regularly travelling across the country.
Former Club Owners Association of Nigeria secretary Aloy Chukwuemeka also believes the idea deserves serious discussion. However, he suggested that the teams should be divided into two equal groups rather than simply using a North-versus-South arrangement.
Not everyone agrees with the proposal. Former Enyimba defender Ikechukwu Ogbonnaya believes the idea could face resistance from some officials who benefit financially from the current travel arrangements. He nevertheless described restructuring as an important conversation for the development of Nigerian football.
GTI Head of Media and Publicity Andrew Ekejiuba, however, defended the existing 20-team structure. According to him, the NPFL should focus on improving the quality and commercial value of the competition instead of dividing it into separate zones.
He also argued that maintaining a national league contributes to social integration and national unity.
The disagreement therefore remains: while some stakeholders believe a conference system could make the NPFL safer, cheaper and more practical, others insist that the existing national structure is important to the identity and unity of Nigerian football.
