Sunday Oliseh has called on clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to improve their financial treatment of players in order to stop the continued exodus of talent abroad.
Speaking in a chat with Brila FM, the former Super Eagles midfielder stressed that football must be treated as a proper profession where players are paid fairly and consistently.
“Football is a business” — Oliseh
Oliseh emphasised that players depend on football as their livelihood and must be properly compensated.
“Football is a business, it’s what he uses to pay his bills, feed his family, plan his future,” he said.
He added that even modest salaries, when paid consistently, can make a significant difference in players’ lives.
Consistency over huge wages
Oliseh recalled his playing days, noting that while salaries may not have been huge, players were at least paid on time.
“When we were playing, there was never one month that they owed us,” he explained.
He argued that stability and timely payment are key to building a sustainable domestic league.
NPFL must become more player-friendly
The former midfielder concluded that improving conditions in the NPFL is essential to retaining talent and strengthening Nigerian football.
“If you don’t feed your wife, she will complain,” Oliseh added, stressing the need for empathy toward players’ financial realities.
