Match officials in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have confirmed the receipt of outstanding indemnities for games handled earlier in the 2025-2026 campaign, easing concerns ahead of the resumption of the second stanza of the season.
Referees, match commissioners and referee assessors had been owed allowances covering about 11 matchdays before the league paused for its mid-season break in December 2025. Payments reportedly stalled after matchday eight, leaving several officials waiting for weeks.
However, Punch revealed that some referees who officiated during matchdays nine and 10 have now received their allowances, with assurances that all outstanding payments will be completed before the league resumes on Wednesday.
Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said their basic matchday allowances range between ₦60,000 and ₦90,000, excluding hotel and transport benefits.
“I have seen referees who officiated matches in week nine and week 10 make returns to the association, so the rest of us are also expecting,” one official told The Punch.
“The first set of people who received got paid on Wednesday, while some got theirs on Thursday. However, we don’t understand why the payments have stopped since then. Although we know everything won’t be credited at once, once the payments start, we hope it will be completed before the next stanza.”
In 2023, the NPFL and its partners, approved a 30 per cent increase in indemnities for referees and match commissioners. Prize money for league champions was also raised from ₦100 million to ₦150 million and later to ₦200 million, while each of the 20 participating clubs began receiving ₦10 million every season.
Since that agreement, the partners have handled the payment of match officials’ indemnities.
