Olawale Ajimotokan 

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Chairman, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, in a recent review of the 2024/25 season passed a vote of confidence in the performance of the Referees and called for a sustenance of the improvement in the new season.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists while reviewing the 2024/25 NPFL season, Elegbeleye said their performance can be rated on the same scale with their counterparts globally.

“I’ve travelled around the world and witnessed some shocking officiating decisions—something you hardly see in the NPFL. That’s why I can confidently say our referees are among the best globally”, he asserted.

He attributed the marked improvements in the performance of the Referees as a reason those appointed to continental competitions discharged their duties with high marks which has in turn opened more opportunities for their colleagues.

He cited the last Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) U-20 Championship in Egypt and noted that, “at the U-20 Championship in Egypt, a Nigerian referee was involved, and another has been shortlisted for the upcoming WAFCON. This shows clear progress.”

While admitting that there was still more work to do in perfecting the system, Elegbeleye was of the opinion that continued support for training and retraining is required to sustain the gains attained so far.

He invited the media to assist in highlighting the positive performances of individual Referees while also shining the light on irregularities that will keep the league on the growth trajectory.