Ekiti United coach resigns after impressive NNL season

Coach Bolarinwa Idris has stepped down as head coach of Ekiti United. He made this known on Wednesday after the 2025/26 Nigeria National League season ended. His departure marks the end of a memorable one-season journey with the club owned by Ekiti State.

Idris submitted his resignation to the club on Wednesday. This decision closes a chapter that saw Ekiti United become one of the toughest teams in the league.

During Coach Idris’ time, Ekiti United finished third in NNL Conference B. They earned 30 points and just missed out on promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League.

One major achievement during his time was the club’s perfect home record. Idris was the only coach in the last NNL season to win all nine home games. This earned the team a total of 27 points from those matches.

He expressed gratitude to the Ekiti State Government. He also thanked Dr Olusola Osetoba, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, for her constant support throughout the season.

He said, "This chapter is over with Ekiti United, and I am proud of what we achieved together from the first day to the end of the season. Football is a collective effort, and I must appreciate everyone we worked with to make the successes we recorded possible."

Idris continued, "The players gave everything for the badge, the staff worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and the fans stood by us through the highs and lows. I will always be grateful for the support I received."

Even with rumors linking him to other clubs for the new season, Coach Idris kept quiet about his next move.

He said, "I’m currently in discussions with a few clubs, but nothing concrete has been agreed yet. When the time is right, I will make my next move public. For now, I want to take some time to rest and reflect."

Idris leaves Ekiti United with over ten years of coaching experience in the Nigeria Nationwide League One and the NNL. His reputation has grown, and he is seen as an up-and-coming coach.

Idris is a certified coach by the Confederation of African Football. Before joining Ekiti United, he worked with Phoenix Athletics Sports Club, Greenlock FC, and Grassrunners FC.