Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has criticised the state of football leagues in West Africa, citing poor infrastructure and low player wages as major factors holding the region back.
Speaking in an interview with Brila FM, the former Chippa United shot-stopper said structural challenges continue to push top talents away from local leagues in search of better opportunities abroad.
According to Nwabali, many players are forced to leave for Europe, South Africa, or Morocco, where leagues offer better pay, improved facilities, and stronger organisational structures.
“In West Africa, our leagues are not as good. We want to go to Europe, we want to come to South Africa, we want to go to Morocco,” he said.
The goalkeeper pointed to inconsistent salary structures across clubs, noting that while a few top players may earn decent wages, most footballers struggle with inadequate and unreliable pay.
He also highlighted the poor state of stadiums and weak league management systems across the region, contrasting them with the more developed football environments in countries like South Africa and Morocco.
Nwabali argued that improving local leagues would require significant investment in infrastructure, better governance, and stronger sponsorship frameworks to retain talent and attract growth.
“If your league is nice, you’re getting paid, you’re getting sponsors, what are you leaving for?” he added.
His comments underscore ongoing concerns about the competitiveness of West African football leagues and the urgent need for reforms to stem the talent drain and revitalise the domestic game.
Armenian Dram
Ghana Cedi
Gambian Dalasi
Guinea Franc
Nigerian Naira
CFA Franc BEAC
