Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Vice Chairman of Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, Mr. Philip Nongu has been elected as the National Welfare Director of the Nigeria National League, NNL.
Nongu a seasoned football administrator was elected at the NNL convention in Kaduna state today.
This is just as Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi has been drawn into Conference C of the 2025/2026 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The official draw, conducted at the NNL Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday in Kaduna, pairs Lobi Stars with Sokoto United FC, ABS FC of Ilorin, FC Basira of Lafia, Doma United of Gombe, City FC of Abuja, and Mighty Jets of Jos.
The league is set to officially kick off on November 8, 2025, with Lobi Stars hosting City FC in Makurdi in a highly anticipated star match, marking the beginning of the intense battle for promotion to the top flight.
Meanwhile, Nongu was elected Director of Welfare for the NNL as a result of the significant recognition of his leadership and growing influence within the Nigerian football space.
He joined other key stakeholders at the AGM, including NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, as the league rolled out bold reforms.
Among the major resolutions, the Super 8 playoff format has been officially abolished. Henceforth, the winner of each group in the four conferences will earn automatic promotion to the NPFL, while a Super Four will be used to determine the overall NNL champion.
This reform is part of a broader vision to streamline the league structure. For the 2025/2026 season:
Groups A and B (10 teams each) will see 3 teams relegated
Groups C and D (8 teams each) will see 2 teams relegated
By the next season, the NNL will transition to two groups of 16 teams, reducing the number of participating clubs from 36 to 32, and enhancing overall competitiveness.
According to Alhaji Gusau, the move is aimed at ensuring teams play more matches, improve quality, and bring back the true spirit of the league.
As Lobi Stars prepares to write a new chapter, the message is clear, the journey to the top begins now. With a challenging group ahead and renewed leadership at the helm, the club is not just participating, it is setting the pace.