By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
Rangers International F.C. have emerged champions of the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), securing a record-extending ninth league title after finishing the season with 68 points from 38 matches.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, congratulated the Enugu-based club on what he described as a remarkable achievement in Nigerian football history.
The President praised the management, players and supporters of the club for their resilience and consistency throughout the campaign, noting that Rangers finished ahead of closest rivals, Rivers United F.C., to reclaim the league crown.
Tinubu also reflected on the rich history of the Flying Antelopes, recalling the club’s dominance in Nigerian football during the 1970s and 1980s.
He specifically referenced Rangers’ memorable run to the final of the 1975 African Cup of Champions Clubs and their triumph in the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup, describing the club as one of the pillars of Nigerian football development.
“As one of the oldest clubs in Nigeria, Rangers have produced some of the nation’s finest football players who went on to make the country proud on the global stage. I am proud of their achievement,” the President stated.
Tinubu equally commended Peter Mbah, attributing the club’s latest success to the Enugu State Government’s investments in sports and youth development.
“I must also congratulate Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on the victory of Rangers International FC. This victory is an obvious fruit of his administration’s investments in youth and sports in the state,” he said.
The President further praised Rivers United for their strong performance and sportsmanship during the just-concluded campaign.
With the triumph, Rangers International and Rivers United will represent Nigeria in next season’s CAF Champions League, Africa’s premier club football competition.
Rangers’ latest success further cements their place among Nigeria’s most decorated football clubs and signals a resurgence for the Enugu side, whose passionate fan base has long regarded the club as a symbol of football excellence in the country.
