The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has unveiled a compulsory digital portal for player registration and club licensing ahead of the 2025/26 Premiership season, marking a major step toward modernising football administration in the country.

 

The initiative was announced on Friday, November 14, through a statement issued by the league’s Media Director, Samuel Ahmadu, as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance and enhancing operational efficiency across the women’s league.

 

Confirming the development, NWFL Chief Operating Officer Modupe Shabi described the new platform as a significant milestone in the league’s governance structure.

 

“This platform is designed to eliminate manual delays, minimise documentation errors, and provide real-time oversight of all registration activities. It is an important step toward making the NWFL more efficient and globally competitive,” Shabi said.

 

She further highlighted that the portal’s advanced verification tools will help curb recurrent administrative violations such as age falsification, dual registration, and irregular player transfers.

 

“The system gives the league the ability to authenticate submitted documents instantly. It strengthens integrity, ensures accountability, and aligns us with international best practices,” she added.

 

Shabi also revealed that the digital migration received strong backing from club representatives during the recent NWFL Congress in Port Harcourt, where stakeholders unanimously endorsed the platform as essential for improving league structures and organisational effectiveness.

 

Under the revised NWFL Registration and Club Licensing Regulations, all Premiership clubs must complete player registration exclusively via the new portal between November 14 and 21, 2025.

 

Mandatory registration documents include:

• National identification

• Passport photographs

• Verified age records

• Academic credentials

• Medical fitness reports

• Digitally signed player contracts

 

Licensing requirements cover:

• Coaching certifications

• Stadium approval and safety reports

• Audited financial statements

• Ownership and incorporation documents

• Evidence of youth development programs

 

According to the NWFL Secretariat, the digital portal is not only an administrative upgrade but also a strategic tool to boost the league’s marketability by improving transparency, data integrity, and professionalism — key standards for attracting sponsors, commercial partners, and international collaborations.