KEY POINTS
- Rangers International won a record ninth NPFL title with 68 points.
- Tinubu praised the Enugu club and Governor Peter Mbah’s sports investment.
- Rangers and Rivers United will represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Rangers International FC on winning a record ninth Nigeria Premier Football League title. The Enugu club finished top of the 2024/2025 season with 68 points from 38 matches. Moreover, Tinubu praised the side’s managers, players and fans for edging out their closest rivals. The Nigeria Premier Football League is the country’s top flight, and its champions earn a coveted place in Africa’s elite club competition.
A record ninth title for Rangers International
Rangers International sealed the championship ahead of Rivers United, capping a long campaign. Specifically, the 68-point haul from 38 games put the Flying Antelopes clear at the top, the mark of a steady, season-long campaign rather than a late surge. In a statement signed by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu called the win a proud moment for one of Nigeria’s oldest clubs. Founded in 1970, Rangers emerged as a symbol of resilience in the South-East after the civil war, and they quickly became one of the country’s most decorated clubs.
The president leaned on history. Indeed, he recalled the club’s dominance through the 1970s and 1980s, including league and FA Cup triumphs. Additionally, he noted Rangers’ continental pedigree, from reaching the 1975 African Cup of Champions Clubs final to lifting the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup.
Praise for Enugu and the players
Tinubu tied the success to Enugu State’s leadership. Therefore, he commended Governor Peter Mbah for investing in youth and sports. “This victory is an obvious fruit of his administration’s investments in youth and sports in the state,” the president said.
He also saluted the club’s role in Nigerian football. According to Tinubu, Rangers International has produced some of the nation’s finest players, many of whom went on to represent the country abroad. “I am proud of their achievement,” he said.
Rivers United and the CAF Champions League
The president did not forget the runners-up. Specifically, he praised Rivers United for a disciplined and competitive season, and for their sportsmanship in the title race. Meanwhile, he wished both clubs well as they prepare for continental football.
In Enugu, the triumph rekindled memories of an era when Rangers ranked among the continent’s feared sides. Tinubu confirmed that Rangers International and Rivers United would represent Nigeria in next season’s CAF Champions League. That stage will test both clubs against North and Southern African powerhouses that have long dominated the tournament.
