The steady shine of Remo Stars in NPFL

Highly favoured to win the 2025 season of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Remo Stars are inarguably the inform club that has caught the attention of Nigerian football fans with their high-level organisation and breath-taking performances. With only four matches to the end of the current season, the privately owned club is presently atop […]

Highly favoured to win the 2025 season of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Remo Stars are inarguably the inform club that has caught the attention of Nigerian football fans with their high-level organisation and breath-taking performances.

With only four matches to the end of the current season, the privately owned club is presently atop the NPFL table with 65 points and are being trailed by Rivers United in second position with 58 points. Following their last away win at regional rivals Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Remo Stars have maintained their seven-point gap at the top of the table, making many to conclude that the season is theirs to lose.

Apart from the fact that Remo Stars is an embodiment of true professionalism, something that the rest of the NPFL clubs are lacking, the Ikenne based club has transformed into a dreaded side since they returned to the Nigerian topflight in the 2021-2022 season.

 

The humble beginning for Remo Stars

The club that is presently called Remo Stars was founded in 2004 in Iketu, Lagos by a Nigerian billionaire and business mogul, Kunle Soname, as FC Dender. After six years in the armature league, the club got promoted to the Nigeria National League (NNL) in 2010. When the owner relocated the club to Remoland in Ogun State, it was rebranded and became known as Remo Stars.

The Sky Blue made their debut in the NPFL in 2016-2017 season but were relegated almost immediately in 2018. However, they bounced back in 20211-2022 season, and since then, Remo Stars have metamorphosed into a formidable club. They have consistently qualified to represent Nigeria in the continent.

Daily Trust, therefore, takes a look at the performances of Remo Stars beginning from the 2021-2022 NPFL season, highlighting the four eventful seasons for the longest surviving privately owned club in the Nigerian topflight.

 

2021-2022 season

Following their return to the NPFL after they were relegated in 2018, Remo Stars put up impressive performances and finished third behind Plateau United and winners Rivers United. Remo Stars garnered 62 points from 18 victories, eight draws just as they lost 12 matches out of 38.

In the course of the season, the Sky Blue recorded three away wins, six away draws, and two draws at home. Unfortunately, they also suffered two home defeats to Akwa United and Enyimba. Having finished in third position, Remo Stars represented the country in the 2022 CAF Confederation Cup.

 

2022-2023 season

The season was an abridged one, and Remo Stars found themselves in a highly competitive Group A, where they finished second behind Bendel Insurance to qualify for the Super 6 Championship playoff in Lagos. To qualify for the title deciding tournament, they won 9 matches, drew six, and lost three out 18 matches.

At the playoff tournament in Lagos where they had to contend with five other clubs- Bendel Insurance, Enyimba, Rivers United, Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars- for the title and the other two continental slots, Remo Stars won two and drew three out of five matches to finish second behind Enyimba to pick the second CAF Champions League ticket, marking a significant progress

 

2023-2024 Season

This marked Remo Stars’ fifth season in which the NPFL was reverted to the regular season of 38 matches. This time, they won 20 matches, drew five, and lost 13 to finish with 65 points, placing themselves in second position behind Enugu Rangers, who clinched their eighth league title.

In what was a remarkable season for them, Remo Stars produced two away wins against Bayelsa United and Enyimba, four away draws at Abia Warriors, Doma United, Niger Tornadoes, and Gombe United while also drawing a home match with Doma United.

 

2024-2025 season

Undoubtedly, this is proving to be Remo Stars’ best season in the NPFL. From the blast of the whistle, they have not shown any other than commitment and determination to win their first-ever NPFL title. Having played 34 matches so far, the Sky Blue are edging closer to the crown by the day, and this is evident in their results- five solid away victories, three away draws, and two draws at home.

With four matches to the end of the season and a seven-point gap at the top, only a serious mishap would stop Remo Stars from making NPFL history. As it is, they are poised to become the first privately owned club to win the league title since Udoji United were crowned champions in 1996.

 

The secret behind Remo Stars’ success

The owner of Remo Stars, billionaire Kunle Soname, is among Nigerians who have invested heavily in the game both at home and abroad. He is also one of the three Nigerians who are owners of football clubs in Europe.

At the moment, Remo Stars is also the only club in the NPFL that has its own world-class stadium that can host international matches. It is, therefore, not a surprise that in recent times, the Remo Stars sports complex in Ikenne has been hosting international matches involving Nigerian national teams.

The club is succeeding because of its excellent sporting facilities and insistence on using the best players from within and outside Nigeria. In addition, Remo Stars’ Technical Adviser, Daniel Ogunmodede, is one of the assistant coaches of Super Eagles.

What is, however, remaining is for Remo Stars to replicate their performances in the NPFL in the continent where they have demonstrated a lack of capacity to compete against some of the best teams in Africa.