Ezenwa renews 500,000 Naira NPFL Best Goalkeeper prize
Former Nigerian international goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa has renewed his commitment to supporting home-based goalkeepers by pledging ₦500,000 towards the NPFL Best Goalkeeper of the Season award for the 2026/2027 Nigeria Premier Football League campaign.
The gesture comes as the new NPFL season gets underway this weekend, with all 20 clubs set to begin their campaigns.
Ezenwa’s latest pledge continues a tradition that began three years ago when the Elite Goalkeeper Platform was established by a group of coaches and former players determined to promote and reward goalkeeping talent in the domestic league.
Coach John Dosu, a former Super Eagles and Shooting Stars goalkeeper and the brain behind the initiative, praised Ezenwa for his consistent financial backing of the project.
“We started this thing just three years ago, coming together as one, just to encourage our home-based goalkeepers,” Dosu said. “Ezenwa has been the one sponsoring. May God Almighty continue to bless him abundantly.”
Under the platform’s current reward structure, Ezenwa supports three major categories during the season: ₦10,000 for the Best Goalkeeper of the Week across the 38-matchday campaign, ₦100,000 for the Best Goalkeeper of the Season, and ₦50,000 for the Best Goalkeeping Coach of the Season.
The initiative therefore provides substantial financial motivation for goalkeepers and their coaches throughout the season.
Ezenwa has also received support from several prominent figures in Nigerian goalkeeping, including coaches Femi Thomas, Tony Dombraye, Dahiru, Dele Aiyenugba, Mazi and Benjamin, as well as former goalkeeper Bassey Akpan.
Their involvement has helped strengthen the platform’s scouting, mentoring and welfare programmes while expanding its reach across the NPFL.
The initiative has also attracted contributions from current Super Eagles goalkeepers. Ojo Olorunleke donated ₦500,000 to be shared among beneficiaries following the Africa Cup of Nations, while Amas Obasogie contributed another ₦500,000 in appreciation of those involved in the project.
Dosu believes such support is important because goalkeepers often receive less recognition than outfield players despite their crucial role in determining match results.
“People celebrate goals, but they forget the man who makes five saves to keep you in the game,” he said. “This platform is about dignity. It tells a young goalkeeper in Katsina, in Uyo, in Enugu, that if you work hard, someone is watching and someone will reward you.”
The 2026/2027 season is expected to provide an even stronger platform for assessing goalkeeping performances, with improved broadcast coverage and increased statistical analysis across the NPFL.
Organisers intend to consider factors including consistency, shot-stopping, command of the penalty area and distribution when assessing the league’s top goalkeepers.
According to Dosu, the broader objective is to raise the standard of goalkeeping in Nigerian football and encourage clubs to invest more in specialised training.
“God bless Ikechukwu Ezenwa for this opportunity,” Dosu added. “Because of him, our best goalkeeper of the season will have something real to work hard for. This is coming directly from him as a former Super Eagles goalkeeper who understands the struggles.”
The Elite Goalkeeper Platform plans to continue publishing weekly winners and monitoring performances throughout the season in a bid to maintain transparency and build greater confidence among clubs, supporters and potential sponsors.
Three years after its launch, what began as a modest initiative to encourage home-based goalkeepers has developed into a consistent player-welfare programme.
With another ₦500,000 now up for grabs, NPFL goalkeepers have an additional incentive to raise their performances and fight for recognition as the league’s best.
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