Remo Stars Owner Kunle Soname Opens Up: “We Can’t Compete Financially with South African Clubs”
Remo Stars owner, Kunle Soname, has spoken frankly about the financial challenges facing Nigerian football clubs, admitting that lack of funding makes it difficult to compete with South African teams.
According to Soname, the gap in player salaries and club funding has created a major imbalance on the continent.
“There isn’t enough money in our league to compete. Lack of funding is a major concern,” he said.
“Players in the Nigerian Premier League earn ₦500,000, ₦700,000, or maybe a maximum of ₦800,000 monthly.
Meanwhile, you’re playing against clubs where players earn $4,000 to $5,000. On the balance of probabilities, they will beat you 7 out of 10 times because they have better-quality players.”
He further lamented the inability of Nigerian clubs to retain their best talents.
“The best players in our league today won’t be here next season — those teams will come and buy them. So, how do you expect us to compete?” Soname added sadly.
His comments shed light on the financial struggles facing the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the urgent need for better investment and structural reform to make Nigerian clubs competitive again on the African stage.
