Sports
Expert Blasts LMC Over N100m Demand From Clubs
A sports administrator,
Silas Agara, has faulted the demand by the League Management Committee (LMC) that each premier league club provide a N100 million bank guarantee for the new season.
Agara, who is the Special Adviser on Sports Development to Nasarawa State’s Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, said the demand could cripple the clubs’ participation in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
“The demand is very wrong because state governments are not making profit from the clubs. Rather, they are spending good money to run the clubs.
“How many states can effectively provide that money? We can’t compare what we are doing in the Nigerian Premier League with what is happening in the English Premier League (EPL),’’ he said.
Agara, a former Nasarawa State Sports Commissioner, said Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia for example, which is one of NPFL’s 20 clubs, could find it difficult to meet LMC’s demand.
He said clubs in the EPL, which he said the LMC were trying to copy, have very many opportunities to make money, unlike their NPFL counterparts.
“There are lots of commercial rights in the English Premier League which a club can make profits from. A club can recoup its money even before the end of the season.
“But how many clubs in Nigeria today can come and tell you that they make N100,000 from gate-takings from one match?” Agara said.
He said EPL clubs even spend money to buy their jerseys for some of their sponsors to print their logos on them.
Agara pointed out that a lot of issues needed to be sorted out before such ideas could work in the country.
The LMC had said the new league season might not start unless the clubs meet some conditions.
These conditions include the provision of a bank guarantee of N100 million.
LMC had said only the clubs which meet the N100 million bank guarantee demand and the FIFA club licensing criteria would be allowed to participate in the 2013/2014 Glo Premier League.
The league organising body had given the clubs a December 31, 2013 deadline.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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