Bendel Insurance targets NPFL title in 2026

Bendel Insurance chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, has expressed confidence that the Benin Arsenals can end their 47-year wait for a Nigeria Premier Football League title in the 2026/27 season.

Tenebe stated this while speaking with journalists ahead of Edo Queens’ CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU B campaign in Burkina Faso, insisting that the club’s preparations have positioned it to mount a serious title challenge.

Bendel Insurance will open its NPFL27 campaign on Sunday, August 30, against Warri Wolves at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, with kick-off scheduled for 4 p.m.

The club, which won the topflight title in 1973 and 1979, finished fifth in each of the last two seasons and is targeting a third league crown.

Tenebe said improved recruitment, preparations and player incentives would strengthen the team’s chances of challenging for the championship.

He recalled that goal-scoring had been a major weakness when he assumed office as chairman last season, prompting him to introduce financial incentives for players for every goal scored.

“When I joined Bendel Insurance FC last year as chairman of the club, they were at the bottom of the table,” Tenebe said.

“The first thing I did was to tie a certain amount of money to every goal scored. Each goal actually attracted a reasonable amount of money, and that changed everything.”

According to him, the incentive contributed to the team’s improved performance and helped Insurance finish strongly last season, narrowly missing out on continental qualification.

Tenebe expressed satisfaction with the impact of the initiative, saying the club had built on last season’s experience in preparing for the new campaign.

“I’m happy the strategy worked for us, and we almost secured a place on the continent. I have the confidence that we are going to get it right this time with the preparations we have made,” he said.

His optimism comes amid renewed enthusiasm around football in Edo State, with Edo Queens also making progress in the CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU B qualifiers in Burkina Faso.

Edo Queens recently defeated ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast 3-1, strengthening the state’s hopes of achieving success in both women’s continental football and men’s domestic competition.

For Bendel Insurance, however, the immediate target is clear: to translate its improved preparations into a title-winning NPFL campaign and bring the league trophy back to Benin City.

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