Smart City Football Club of Lagos have unveiled former Super Eagles international Eddy Lord Dombraye as their new Technical Adviser, adding considerable experience and international pedigree to the club’s technical structure as they intensify their pursuit of promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Dombraye was formally unveiled on Tuesday after signing a one-year contract with an option for renewal, with the Lagos-based NNL side entrusting him with the technical responsibility of leading the team towards its ambition of reaching Nigeria’s top flight.
The unveiling was witnessed by key members of the club’s football and administrative structure, including Chief Operating Officer Betiku Seun Soji, Team Manager Adebiyi Adejare Ojo and Sporting Director Abiodun Obafemi, MON, who were present to welcome the new Technical Adviser as he officially began his Smart City journey.
The presence of the club’s key officials at the unveiling underlined the importance attached to Dombraye’s appointment and Smart City’s determination to put the right structures in place ahead of the new campaign.
Dombraye’s arrival represents another significant piece in Smart City’s preparations for the 2026/27 NNL season. The club has continued to strengthen its administrative and football structures as it builds towards a sustained challenge for promotion.
Sporting Director Abiodun Obafemi has previously made the club’s ambition clear, stating that Smart City’s major objective for the season is to secure promotion to the NPFL.
Dombraye arrives with a football résumé that stretches across Nigeria and Europe. As a player, he featured for clubs in Nigeria before embarking on a European career that included spells in Poland, the former Yugoslavia and Ukraine.
He also represented Nigeria internationally, including at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, and earned a senior appearance for the Super Eagles.
Following his playing career, Dombraye moved into coaching and developed his credentials in Europe, acquiring UEFA coaching qualifications before returning to Nigerian football management.
He subsequently served as Technical Adviser of Lobi Stars, giving him previous experience of the demands and pressures of Nigerian professional football.
His appointment at Smart City now presents a different challenge — helping an ambitious NNL club make the decisive step into the NPFL.
For Smart City, the timing could hardly be more significant.
The Lagos club have strengthened their football and administrative structures ahead of the new campaign, and the arrival of Dombraye adds another layer of experience to a project firmly focused on promotion.
With Betiku Seun Soji overseeing the club’s operations as COO, Adebiyi Adejare Ojo handling team management and Abiodun Obafemi driving the sporting direction, Dombraye will now take charge of the technical aspect of the ambitious project.
The message from the unveiling was clear: Smart City are not entering the new season merely to compete — they are building with promotion firmly in sight.
For Dombraye, the assignment is equally significant. He returns to the Nigerian football spotlight with the opportunity to lead another ambitious project and demonstrate his coaching credentials on the NNL stage.
With a one-year deal and an option for renewal, the partnership begins with a clear target and a club determined to make this campaign different.
Smart City FC have unveiled their man. Now, the road to the NPFL begins in earnest.
