Champions of Nigeria! Remo Stars make history with first-ever NPFL title, smash 25-year record

Remo Stars FC have been crowned champions of Nigeria for the first time in their history, sealing a historic Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title with a hardfought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes on Sunday, Soccernet.ng reports.

An 84th-minute rocket strike from sunstitute Olamilekan Adedayo was all the Sky Blue Stars needed to secure the crucial win in Ikenne and spark jubilant celebrations among the home fans.

The triumph lifts Remo Stars to an unassailable 68 points with three matches remaining, marking a landmark achievement for the club and their coach Daniel Ogunmodede, popularly known as ‘Ijaball.'

CHAMPIONS AT LAST!

Patience, passion, persistence.

1️⃣5️⃣years of waiting, 1️⃣ moment of glory.

Tonight, the stars don’t just shine — they reign.

REMO STARS — Champions of Nigeria ✨ #RemoReigns | #WeAreRemoStars | #NPFL25 pic.twitter.com/7l8QXguudj

— Remo Stars Sports Club (@RemoStarsSC) April 27, 2025

The Sky Blue Stars have narrowly missed out on the title in recent years, finishing runners-up in the past two seasons behind Enyimba and Enugu Rangers.

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However, Sunday's victory finally crowned their steady rise with silverware, confirming them as Nigeria’s top team with a 10-point gap over second-placed Rivers United.

The achievement is doubly historic: Remo Stars become the first privately-owned club to win the NPFL since Julius Berger FC's triumph in 2000, ending a 25-year wait. They are also the first club from southwestern Nigeria to claim the title since Julius Berger’s success.

Remarkably, the coronation came on a significant personal milestone — the 59th birthday of club owner Kunle Soname.

Long live the king

Happy birthday Hon. Kunle Soname OFR#WeAreRemoStars pic.twitter.com/NCV8av7oUZ

— Remo Stars Sports Club (@RemoStarsSC) April 27, 2025

A pioneering businessman, Soname founded popular betting site Bet9ja, owns the private airline ValueJet, and was the first Nigerian to acquire a European club, C.D. Feirense of Portugal, in 2015.

Good start today in Ikenne.

Remo Stars Staff, Friends & Family beat Remo All Stars 3–2 in a friendly.

It’s also @RemoStarsSC chairman & owner, Hon. Kunle Soname’s birthday and his team could make history by winning the NPFL title today. pic.twitter.com/D4QFQKQwDp

— Dr. Victor Ademola (@AdemolaVictorTv) April 27, 2025

Remo Stars’ success story has been a journey built on resilience.

Founded in 2004 as FC Dender, the club rose through the ranks, earning promotion to the second-tier Nigeria National League in 2010 and later rebranding to Remo Stars.

They achieved their first top-flight promotion in 2016, suffered relegation in 2018, but bounced back impressively in 2021.

This season, Remo Stars have recorded 21 wins, five draws, and just nine defeats from 35 matches.

Should they win their remaining three games, they would equal Rivers United’s record 77 points set during the 2021–22 season — the highest title-winning points tally in the NPFL over the last two decades.

Remo Stars will represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League, a tournament Nigeria last won in 2004 when Enyimba FC defeated ES Sahel on penalties in the final.