Borno State Commissioner for Sports and Poverty Alleviation, Sainna Buba, has questioned the proposed N2 million monthly minimum salary for Nigeria Premier Football League players, warning that many clubs may not be able to sustain the figure without stronger revenue structures.
According to the supplied report, the National Sports Commission recently advised NPFL clubs to adopt N2 million as the minimum wage for players, arguing that improved salaries could help reduce the movement of players to better-paying foreign clubs.
But Buba, speaking after El-Kanemi Warriors won the 2026 President Federation Cup in Asaba, said the proposal could become difficult for clubs unless the league first creates stronger commercial conditions.
“The league authorities must first establish modalities that will enhance revenue generation for clubs before introducing a new salary regime,” Buba said, according to the supplied report. “Without a sustainable financial framework, the proposal may become counterproductive and could negatively affect the overall performance and stability of the league.”
His argument goes to the heart of one of Nigerian football’s hardest questions: how to improve player welfare without placing clubs under financial pressure they cannot carry.
Many NPFL clubs remain heavily dependent on government funding. Buba warned that only a small number of teams currently have the commercial strength to pay players N2 million monthly, and urged league authorities to first strengthen sponsorship, broadcast, marketing and other revenue channels.
He also criticised the way the proposal was announced, saying club owners and state governments that fund many teams should have been more fully consulted before such a major shift was put forward.
The debate arrives at a sensitive moment for El-Kanemi. The Maiduguri side won the President Federation Cup at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium in Asaba, but are also preparing for CAF Confederation Cup participation after a difficult domestic season.
Buba said the Borno State Government, under Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, is already planning to strengthen the squad for continental football. He also indicated that major changes could follow, with a large portion of the current team potentially released over issues he linked to attitude and commitment.
The wider issue, however, goes beyond one club. A higher minimum wage could help retain talent, improve professionalism and reduce player exits from the league. But without stronger income streams, the same proposal could expose weak club finances and deepen the gap between better-funded teams and those still reliant on public money.
For the NPFL, the wage debate is now more than a salary argument. It is a test of whether Nigerian football can build the commercial base required to match its reform ambitions.