Nigeria National League Chairman George Aluo has declared his ambition to turn the country's second-tier competition into Nigeria's most important football league.
Aluo said the NNL has made significant progress during his three years in office, insisting that the competition now has a more professional outlook and a stronger competitive edge.
"I had one clear vision and that is to take the league from where I met it to a higher pedestal and I can beat my chest to say I have achieved that with the board," Aluo said.
The NNL chairman credited the achievements to collective efforts from members of the board, adding that the league has become more organised and professionally run.
He identified strict reforms as one of the key drivers behind the league's growth. The board introduced mandatory live streaming of matches, enforced security standards and insisted on adherence to the league calendar.
"We insisted that all clubs must live stream their matches, a situation that made cheating a bit difficult," he said.
Aluo also revealed that the board had taken firm action against clubs that breached regulations, a move he believes has improved integrity and sanity within the competition.
He expressed satisfaction with officiating standards, noting that referees now receive their match indemnities before arriving at venues and that erring officials are promptly sanctioned.
"The integrity of the league is key to run a professional league and to create a level playing field for everybody," Aluo said.
The NNL boss praised the contributions of sponsors and partners, particularly BetPawa, Top Tier Sports Management and Sportslight Hub, saying their support has increased the league's visibility and aided its development.
According to Aluo, more corporate organisations are in discussions to partner with the league, driven by improvements in competitiveness and organisation.
He also highlighted the league's role as a pathway to the Nigeria Premier Football League and the national teams, pointing out that all four clubs promoted last season were privately owned and that some NNL players have earned national team call-ups.
Looking ahead, Aluo said his long-term vision is to build a league that can compete with the best around the world.
"My vision is to make the NNL as competitive as any other league in the world, to run a league where crowd attendance would be huge, where coaches and players earn good money and to run a league that is on television and violence free," he said.
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