Rangers striker Godwin Obaje has joined the NPFL’s 100-goal club and now has his sights on CAF Champions League glory

Rangers International striker Godwin Obaje has written his name into the history of the Nigeria Premier Football League after becoming only the third player to reach 100 goals in the competition.

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The 30-year-old reached the landmark on September 30, scoring an 11th-minute penalty in Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Warri Wolves in Ozoro, Delta State.

The goal secured three points for the defending champions while taking Obaje into an exclusive club alongside Victor Ezeji and Rabiu Ali.

For Obaje, the achievement represents the reward for more than a decade of persistence in Nigerian domestic football.

“I feel very happy to have achieved this. It is something I have worked very hard to achieve,” he told PUNCH Sports Extra.

The striker admitted that reaching the century mark was never a personal target when he began his career.

“To be honest, I never thought of it. I just felt I should keep working hard to score as much as I can,” he said.

His route to 100 goals has been spread across five NPFL clubs.

Obaje scored 25 goals during his spells with Wikki Tourists, 16 for the now-defunct FC Ifeanyi Ubah, one for Plateau United, 23 for Abia Warriors and 35 for Rangers.

His breakthrough season came with Wikki Tourists in 2016, when he finished as the league’s leading scorer with 18 goals and claimed the Golden Boot.

He subsequently moved through several clubs and also had spells abroad, including AS Trenčín in Slovakia, Jeunesse Sportive Kairouanaise in Tunisia and clubs in Ethiopia and Oman.

The 100-goal milestone, however, was only the beginning.

Obaje added another goal four days later in Rangers’ 3-1 victory over his former club Abia Warriors at the Awka City Stadium. His 37th-minute header took his NPFL tally to 101.

Rangers had honoured him before the Abia Warriors match for reaching the century, presenting the striker with a commemorative plaque.

Obaje said the recognition moved him emotionally, particularly because of the atmosphere created by the supporters.

“At that moment, I became too emotional. The atmosphere was like one was in Europe, with fans chanting and shouting,” he said.

His landmark has placed him behind two established figures on the league’s scoring chart.

Ezeji finished his NPFL career with 148 goals, while Rabiu Ali has scored 144 and remains active with Kano Pillars.

Obaje’s entry into the group means the three players are currently the league’s recognised 100-goal marksmen in the records cited by the reports.

For Obaje, though, the next ambition is not simply to climb the scoring chart.

The Rangers forward wants to help the club make an impact in Africa.

Rangers qualified for the CAF Champions League after winning the 2025/26 NPFL title, their ninth league championship.

The club’s official website confirms that the title secured its place in the continental competition.

Obaje has now set his sights on winning the CAF Champions League with the Flying Antelopes.

“That’s my target for now,” he said. “But let’s reach the group stage first. From there, we see what God can do for us next.”

The forward also said retirement is not currently on his mind.

Instead, he credits prayer, hard work, focus, commitment and dedication for helping him maintain his career and scoring form.

His longevity has become a defining part of his story. From emerging as a Golden Boot winner with Wikki Tourists to returning to Rangers and helping the club win two NPFL titles, Obaje has remained a consistent presence in Nigerian top-flight football.

The 100-goal mark therefore represents more than a number. It is a record built across different clubs, seasons and phases of a career that has also taken him beyond Nigeria.

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And with his tally already at 101, Obaje has another opportunity ahead: to move closer to Ezeji and Ali while attempting to lead Rangers deeper into Africa’s premier club competition.