Nigeria Cricket Federation Unveils Franchise Squads for Maiden Nigeria Super League
Oru Leonard
The Nigeria Cricket Federation has officially unveiled the franchise squads, captains and coaching crews for the inaugural edition of the Nigeria Super League (NSL), set to hold from May 16 to May 31, 2026.
The groundbreaking domestic franchise competition is expected to mark a major milestone in the development of cricket in Nigeria, creating a professional platform for elite competition, talent discovery and player development.
Speaking on the vision behind the tournament, President of the federation, Uyi Akpata, described the NSL as a strategic initiative aimed at elevating the standard of domestic cricket while providing emerging players with opportunities to compete at a higher level.
According to him, the Nigeria Super League is designed to inspire the next generation of cricketers, sharpen elite talent and position Nigerian cricket for greater international success.
Six franchises will compete for honours in the maiden edition of the tournament, including Central Eagles, Eastern Elephants, Middle-Belt Tigers, Northern Lions, Southern Sharks and Western Dolphins.
Among the notable captains unveiled are Peter Aho of Central Eagles, Taiwo Mohammed of Eastern Elephants, Suliamon Runsuwe of Middle-Belt Tigers, Sylvester Okpe of Northern Lions, Isaac Okpe of Southern Sharks and Vincent Adewoye of Western Dolphins.
The league, themed “One Dream. One League. Endless Opportunities,” is expected to strengthen the national player development pathway, improve the technical standards of domestic cricket and expose players to a professional franchise system.
Organisers said the competition will also serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing future stars for Nigeria’s national cricket teams.
Matches will be played in a round-robin format beginning on Saturday, May 16, with fixtures scheduled for morning and afternoon sessions daily at the TBS Cricket Oval.
The group stage will run until May 27 before the tournament advances to the knockout rounds, with the grand finale slated for May 30, 2026.
Cricket fans across the country are expected to witness two weeks of thrilling action both live at the venue and via streaming on the federation’s YouTube channel as Nigeria’s brightest cricket talents battle for franchise glory.
