The 2025/26 National League One (NLO) season will welcome a new contender with the official entry of Greenlock Academy, a Lagos-based side inaugurated at the weekend in Satellite Town.
The launch, held at the Navy Sports Complex, marked the academy’s formal step into professional competition two years after its founding.
Greenlock, established in 2023, has set its sights on becoming both a developmental hub and a competitive force in Nigerian football.
Executive Vice President, Funsho Peters, said the project was built on a long-term vision to groom players capable of rising through the football pyramid. While acknowledging the importance of results, Peters stressed that player development remained the academy’s central mission.
Greenlock has already attracted nationwide interest through its recruitment model, which combines open registration with a network of scouts across Nigeria. Peters explained that the academy’s approach is selective, aiming to identify not only promising athletes but also students committed to education.
The team will share facilities with FC Ebedei at the Navy Sports Complex while also staging some fixtures at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne.
The Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) has welcomed the academy’s arrival, praising its focus on combining education with sport. LSFA Vice Chairman, Dotun Coker, said the initiative reflects a model that other investors should emulate, noting that the academy’s infrastructure, welfare provisions, and emphasis on academics positioned it strongly for success.
Among the players hoping to make an impression is 17-year-old forward Alonge Daniel, who earned his place after competing against hundreds of hopefuls at an open screening. Daniel expressed his ambition to follow in the footsteps of Nigerian stars such as Victor Osimhen and Mikel Obi, saying Greenlock had given him the platform to chase those dreams.
With the new season approaching, Greenlock Academy’s debut in the NLO marks both a competitive beginning and a wider statement of intent: to nurture homegrown talent while strengthening the foundations of grassroots football in Lagos and beyond.
