The 2022/2023 Club Licensing Facility requirements test were up and a lot of clubs have failed such as Enugu Rangers and Abia Warriors and others.
The NPFL has further employed that those clubs rejected should use the time and upgrade their facilities in order to be accepted in future as their facility has fallen short of the club licensing requirements.
This advice were more directed to Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors and Niger Tornadoes which they have seen require serious attention with details such as poor playing pitches, defective scoreboards and poor sanitary conditions around and inside the stadium.
This is what the NPFL had to say about a few clubs that failed to meet the facility requirements;
“The Aper Aku stadium lacks a readily available alternate power source, vide a generator. Water supply is not sufficient in the stadium and its environs and the overhead tank in the stadium needs urgent attention as the tank can no longer serve its purpose.”
As regards Abia Warriors’ case, the report noted: “The field of play at the stadium is still undergoing a replacement. There are no functional floodlights and the general lighting in the stadium is poor. There is no electronic scoreboard and the manual scoreboard available is in dire condition.”
“The dressing rooms for teams and match officials are dilapidated, lack running water, have un-kept restrooms and have a generally poor sanitary condition.”
The Enugu rangers were not spared from scolding either as their furniture in their dressing rooms was reported to be outdated, they had no control room, media Centre, broadcast studio, press conference hall, office space or meeting room.
It seems there is lot of renovation and upgrade to be done in various Nigerian club stadiums and with proper financial backup they will be able to make the next inspection when the NPFL comes around next time.
