Eko United FC has set its sights on promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), while prioritising sustainable club development and opportunities for young footballers as it prepares for its campaign in the Nigeria National League (NNL). The club’s Sporting Director, Shogo Shodunke, disclosed this during an interview at…...
Eko United FC has set its sights on promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), while prioritising sustainable club development and opportunities for young footballers as it prepares for its campaign in the Nigeria National League (NNL).
The club’s Sporting Director, Shogo Shodunke, disclosed this during an interview at the unveiling of the Lagos-based side at Herel Play on Saturday, October 24, 2026, saying the project was established to develop young talents, create employment opportunities and build a sustainable football structure.
“The aim is to help the helpless and the hopeless and also see how we can get return on investments to be able to make impact in our community and that is why we are coming up with this plan,” he said.
Shodunke explained that the club was designed to reach young talents across different communities and provide opportunities for players who might otherwise struggle to advance their careers.
“We felt there was a need for us to see how we can go to different communities, to see how we can give them hope and raise a lot of breadwinners through football and that is why we are coming together,” he said.
He added that Eko United had recruited players from different parts of Nigeria, including the northern, southern and eastern regions, with some as young as 14 and 15 years old.
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The Sporting Director said the club was also planning programmes to prepare players for life after football, stressing that its vision extended beyond results on the pitch.
“We don’t just want a one-off project. We want something that will succeed all of us and that is why we are coming together,” he said.
On the prospect of gaining promotion in its first NNL campaign, Shodunke said the club would pursue its ambitions without compromising its commitment to long-term growth.
“We are not desperate. And that is why I said we are starting small and want to go big,” he said.
“If that promotion comes, we are fine. But we believe so much in sustainability. We want to see how we can sustain this club.”
He also described Eko United as a community-driven project, noting that its identity and colours were designed to reflect its connection with Lagos State.
“Our home jersey colour is Danfo colour, yellow and black. Telling you that we are trying to involve a lot of people to be part of the project,” he said.
“It’s not about us, it’s about the community and also the young youths in the country.”
The club’s head coach, Oladunni Oyekale, said his immediate priority was to stabilise the squad after recruiting 30 new players before pursuing promotion.
Oyekale, who previously coached NPA and Ottasolo FC, described Eko United as a major project and said the seriousness of its handlers influenced his decision to take the job.
“I feel Eko United is a project that is big. It’s a big project and the people handling it are very serious. So that is why I took the job,” he said.
The coach acknowledged the challenges of competing in the NNL but expressed confidence in his players’ ability to meet the club’s objectives.
“The team is a new team. And new players as a whole. Thirty new ones. But all the same, we will try our best to stabilise the team first. And along that line, we will try to target promotion,” he said.
“We want to do two things. Play good football and put it in mind that we want to get promotion.”
Oyekale also played down concerns over a pre-season match in Sagamu in which Eko United surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2, insisting that such games were primarily for assessing players.
“Pre-seasons are meant for players to be seen. Not the results,” he said, adding that he had made substitutions to assess different players during the match.
“For me, it’s not a bad game. If it was a league, maybe it wouldn’t happen like this,” he added.
Meanwhile, club captain Raimi Akanbi promised that the players would work hard to meet expectations and deliver entertaining football throughout the season.
Akanbi described his appointment as captain as an opportunity to contribute to the club’s development, praising the technical crew and expressing confidence in the team’s preparations.
“Definitely I’ve been to different clubs but it’s an opportunity working with Coach Oladuni. Which I’m blessed to be at Eko United now. We’ll hit the ground running,” he said.
Asked what supporters should expect, Raimi promised a determined performance from the team.
“I just want to tell them that we are going to cook,” he said.
A representative of the club’s ownership also urged Lagos residents to support the team, saying the players must understand that wearing the jersey means representing the state and its people.
“Anytime they put on that jersey, they are not just putting on the jersey as the players. They are representing their family. They are representing themselves. And they are representing the whole city of Lagos State. Over 25 million people at the same time,” he said.
The club also identified collaboration with the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders as important to addressing infrastructure challenges and strengthening football development in Lagos.