Olushola Ogunnowo, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Nigeria’s Nationwide League One (NLO), has been named African Football Manager of the Year by the Burkina Faso-based African Performance Leadership Award (APLA 2025).

The prestigious accolade was presented on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, in recognition of Ogunnowo’s transformative leadership and administrative excellence in grassroots football.

 

According to the APLA Award Committee, Ogunnowo was selected for his “pragmatic and exceptional administrative skills, strong work ethic, and transformative policies that have established grassroots football in Nigeria as a viable business brand.”

“It is a great honour for me, and this award is dedicated to Nigeria’s grassroots football—the hundreds of talented players who have experienced career growth through the NLO platform, and the millions of passionate fans who support the brand" Ogunnowo said.

Born in 1969 in Sagamu, Ogun State, Olushola Ogunnowo holds a B.Sc. in Sports Sciences, a Master’s in Public Administration, and is pursuing a PhD. He is currently a Deputy Director in the Nigeria Football Federation and serves as the COO of the NLO, Africa’s largest grassroots football league comprising over 400 clubs.

 

Ogunnowo brings over 23 years of football administration experience, having played pivotal roles across departments of the Nigeria Football Federation—including the Nigeria Professional League, National Teams, Women’s League, and Protocol. He was also a part of the management team that led Nigeria’s U-23 team to a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics under Coach Samson Siasia.

 

As the head of the NLO, Ogunnowo has revolutionized the league’s operations by:

• Introducing insurance coverage and prompt compensation for all players.

• Implementing pre-competition medical assessments.

• Fighting age cheating with tamper-proof, online registration systems.

• Launching a functional website and mobile application for better fan and club engagement.

• Establishing international collaboration with reputable consultants such as Premium Sports and NVA.SEG UK.

• Leading a UK business tour with club chairmen to observe operational standards at clubs like Crystal Palace FC, MK Dons, Sheffield United, and Burton Albion.

A British Council-trained sports administrator and CAF-certified stadium inspector, Ogunnowo is deeply committed to promoting excellence and governance in sports. He is a member of various professional bodies including NAPHER-SD, Africa Sports Management Association (ASMA), and has served on the Sports Thematic Committee of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group.

 

In his current role, Ogunnowo has positioned the NLO not only as Nigeria’s best-run league but also as a model of sports business innovation across Africa.

 

As grassroots football gains momentum and relevance, his award at APLA 2025 stands as a testament to his enduring influence and dedication to the growth of football from the ground up.