NPL monthly awards to start December

The Nigeria Premier League will hand out monthly awards to top performers in the domestic game beginning from next month.

Last week, the NPL set up a Media/Awards Committee, and this week, named 11 players and a coach in its Team of the Week.

The league organising body said honours will be handed out to the Player of the Month, Goalkeeper of the Month, Coach of the Month and Referee of the Month.

There will also be awards to media for coverage of the league. The media award will be for Newspaper Reporter of the Month, Radio/TV Reporter of the Month, and Photographer of the Month.

The recognitions will culminate in a prestigious Awards Gala ceremony at the end of the season.

NPL chairman, Davidson Owumi, hopes that the monthly accolades will add impetus to individual and team performances throughout the season.

"As a player, I won the Bournvita Golden Boot and I know how important that was for me," he said. "It is our hope that these awards will spur on the current generation to give everything to make the league more exciting and set up themselves for even big exposure."

The first winners of the monthly awards will be announced in early December and outstanding performers will be selected by the Media/Awards Committee.

The committee will also nominate recipients for the end of year awards, but the winners will be selected by public vote.