NPFL refs get pay rise, gadgets

Referees in the Nigeria Premier Football League will smile to the bank in the 2024/25 season, which begins on Saturday following the decision of the NPFL board to raise their pay by 50 per cent, aside from being provided with the newly acquired communications gadget, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

This is in fulfilment of the promise of the league board chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, at the end of last season.

President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Sani Zubairu, confirmed on Tuesday that the referees are already in training ahead of the commencement of the league on Saturday.

“We are in training already to get the referees used to the equipment. It will be used by all four referees for all the 380 matches of the NPFL, including the Federation Cup matches,” the NRA president told PUNCH Sports Extra.

“This will enhance the performance of our referees, as you cannot compare officials using gadgets with those that are not. So, we are still expecting more high-performance gadgets to be provided for our referees as time goes on.”

PUNCH Sports Extra gathered that the referees’ training is done in batches at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Meanwhile, for the second time in the last year, the referees will also be getting increased match indemnities.

“Motivation is key for referees, too, and the NFF has always promised to cater for the welfare of our referees,” Zubairu added.

One of the factors that influence how much a referee earns in the NPFL is the distance they cover, according to a top official of one of the partners of the league.

“Their money is calculated by the distance they travel to their match venues. We spend close to 10m on match officials every match day. The least amount a ref can earn is N200,000 or N150,000 per match for transport and feeding,” the official said.

“All the officials have their accommodations paid for 48 hours before they arrive at their match venue. As they take off, they get their money, and they know where they will lodge. We pay for accommodation straight to the hotel, while feeding and transport allowances are paid in cash before they leave for their match venues. Things have changed; it’s not like before.”

This was the payment structure before the latest increment, and the arrangement understandably remains.