Mr. Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, asked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to strengthen the country’s domestic leagues on Monday. Dare made the decision after hosting the ‘Flying Eagles’, the U-20 men’s national team, in Abuja after their triumph in the WAFU B zone tournament in Niamey, Niger Republic.
The minister stated that the performance demonstrated the NFF board’s dedication to improving the game in the country. He said: “I want you to maintain the same level of discipline on all sides. The future of football is in the hands of these young ones and we must do all to ensure it remains the same”.
He added that one way is to ensure that is the rebirth of their leagues and giving it the quality it desires. He sees it as the only way Nigeria can have players who’ll go on to play for ‘Super Eagles’ as well as top clubs in Europe.
In the Direction of a Functional Nigerian Football League
In Nigeria, sports, particularly football, continue to provide many benefits, such as entertainment, employment, career opportunities, youth development, and a rallying point for national unity and togetherness. Football possesses enormous potential for the most populous black nation, with over 200 million people and around 65 percent of them being young. According to available data, some 10,000 corporations compete for the attention of an estimated 80 million active and latent youth fans who watch foreign football.
While many Nigerians, particularly youths, yearn for international football matches because of the high level of play, enthralling commentators, glamorous players, spectacular goal-scoring displays, and interactive fan participation, the same can’t be said of the local league’s followers and passion. Foreign football is tempting because of its skillful dribbles, outstanding goals, incredible saves, and accurate kicks, but the local league can step up.
Compared to 30 Years Ago, Nigerian Club Football Has Deteriorated
In truth, Nigerian football has deteriorated over the years from what it was three decades ago, but the outlook appears brighter if genuine actors’ cries for transformation are welcomed and reinforced with the necessary building stones. The possibilities are virtually limitless, but the government must improve the enabling climate for football and the sports business, in general, to prosper and grow more quickly. Improved security and amenities would be beneficial, while club management and administrators can rapidly see to recruiting a large number of new fans with exciting side attractions and other incentives.
The British government paid £200 million to the Premier League to improve infrastructure nearly 30 years ago, and the EPL was already worth over £18 billion in May 2021. According to Sportico, the average valuation of a Premier League team is currently $1.29 billion, with the 20 clubs in English soccer’s top flight together worth more than $25 billion. In a six-year contract worth £1.9 billion, NBC recently obtained the Premier League television rights to exclusively broadcast all 380 games per season in the United States until the summer of 2028.
The deal is nearly quadruple the $1 billion premium NBC paid for Premier League television rights in 2015, making it the English top-flight league’s largest-ever international television deal. This indicates that, if properly harnessed and managed, Nigerian football could become a key revenue generator for the country. And, if the gambling industry, ranging from local casinos to, for instance, the best online casinos in Liechtenstein, finds their interest here, the rise of Nigerian football would skyrocket.
The Assistance of a Few Patriotic Firms Crucial to Re-Growth of Nigerian Football
Indeed, the Nigerian local league is gradually gathering up speed, thanks to the assistance of a few patriotic firms that believe in the growth of the Nigerian brand and are gradually breathing new life into the league. Despite the desire for overseas football, their patriotic efforts are assisting the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to expand at its current rate.
The NPFL has had its own magical moments, producing home-grown champions who have gone on to become international stars, such as Ahmed Musa, Daniel Akpeyi, and Junior Lokosa, who are all doing well in their own right and continue to dazzle global football fans. The NPFL can achieve enviable status with ongoing backing from companies that aren’t drawn to the wild rush. Eunisell Limited has been one of the rare and steadfast supporters of Nigeria’s domestic football league.
The specialized chemicals and engineering manufacturing solutions corporation began sponsoring Nigeria’s domestic Premier League in 2015, and as the Rivers United FC sponsor, went on to become the first club sponsor in Nigeria to do so for four consecutive seasons. The corporation has stated that it would continue to support the team and that it has exciting ideas for fans in the upcoming season.
The “Eunisell Boot Award”, which acknowledges and compensates players with monetary prizes at the conclusion of the NPFL season, with a ₦200,000 per goal premium, was introduced in 2018. This has heightened interest in the league. Year each year, top goal scorers in the Nigerian league express their gratitude for the initiative and their determination to work better, score more goals, and win the yearly award. Junior Lokosa of the Kano Pillars won the inaugural edition with 19 goals and was awarded ₦3.8 million for the 2017/2018 NPFL season. Silas Nwankwo of Nasarawa United and Charles Atshimene of Akwa United were named joint winners of the Eunisell Boot award with a monetary prize of ₦7.6 million after scoring 19 goals in the 2020/21 season.
Chika Ikenga, the Eunisell Managing Director, reiterated the Eunisell Boot as a catalyst for fostering excellence in local top-flight players and celebrating their success story before the NPFL began preparations on December 17. He emphasized that the gesture demonstrates Eunisell’s dedication to Nigerian football development.
The Example of Lekki United
With Oloye Akin Alabi, a prominent football enthusiast, entrepreneur, and politician, owning one of the emerging clubs, Lekki United, the Nationwide League One (NLO) has seen an increase in private involvement. There have been definite signs of growth for the reconstituted team as it starts its maiden season at the NLO in search of a day in the sun of Nigeria’s Division 2 games. For a while, the owner Oloye Akin Alabi has been anticipating a significant campaign for the NPFL. For the time being, he hopes that his squad continues to win the games in front of them.
Thousands of individuals, families, and businesses live and thrive in Lekki United, which is probably Lagos’ most vibrant commercial hub. Other businesspeople have indicated interest in the league, notably Shola Akinlade, CEO of Paystack, theNigeria’s major payment platform, and Kunle Soname, a veteran football manager.Akinlade had previously revealed his ownership of Sporting Lagos, a Nigerian league club in the second division, and urged other Nigerians to participate in a widely publicized stock purchase hosted by Paystack in 2021.
Also, despite finishing 15th in the NPFL and having not made the league back-to-back appearances since their first season in 2016, Remo Stars, the club led by experienced football administrator, CEO Kunle Soname, is regarded as one of the best-run clubs in the league, thanks to its highly efficient methods and nascent history.
