NPFL CLUBS TO RECEIVE 60% OF NEW $7.5BN SPONSORSHIP DEAL
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By; Sunmola Ganiyat
Nigeria Premier Football League clubs are set to receive 60 per cent of a new $7.5 million title sponsorship agreement secured by the league, with the funds expected to improve players’ salaries and welfare.
The three-year deal, worth $2.5 million per season, was unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, with EUROMATCH named as the NPFL’s new title sponsor ahead of the 2026/27 season.
NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, announced the financial arrangement during the unveiling, explaining that the decision to allocate the larger portion of the sponsorship revenue to clubs was aimed at ensuring that the league’s commercial growth directly benefits players.
Elegbeleye said the agreement would provide $2.5 million annually for three years, bringing the total value to $7.5 million.
He explained that 60 per cent of the sponsorship revenue would go directly to the clubs, with the expectation that the money would be reflected in improved players’ wages and welfare.
The agreement represents a significant commercial development for the domestic league, which has undergone several reforms aimed at strengthening club finances, players’ welfare, broadcasting, branding and the overall commercial value of the competition.
Elegbeleye said the league’s commercial strategy was centred on promoting the players, stressing that footballers should remain the major attractions of the competition rather than league administrators.
He urged stakeholders to allow the players to gain greater visibility and recognition both within Nigeria and internationally.
According to him, better earnings would contribute to improved morale and productivity among players.
Former Sports Minister and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, described the sponsorship as evidence that Nigeria’s decision to treat sports as a business was beginning to attract significant investment.
Dare commended the NPFL for sustaining its reform programme despite challenges faced by the league, its clubs, management and other stakeholders over the past three years.
He said the $7.5 million agreement demonstrated the potential benefits of treating sports as a commercial enterprise.
Dare added that the government’s sports-as-business policy was supported by a 10-year football master plan designed to develop Nigerian football, attract foreign direct investment, strengthen branding and improve the commercial appeal of the sport.
He also said the reforms could contribute to the development of Nigeria’s national teams, including the Super Eagles and the Under-20 and Under-17 teams.
Dare disclosed that government budgetary allocation to sports had increased from N1.9 billion to N76 billion, but stressed that increased funding must be accompanied by reforms that meet international standards.
The Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim Gusau, described the sponsorship agreement as a major boost for Nigerian football.
Gusau said the deal would strengthen the NPFL while creating more opportunities for clubs and players, adding that the NFF would continue supporting efforts to improve the quality, visibility and commercial value of domestic football.
Group Chairman of EUROMATCH GROUP, Sadi Semih, said the company regarded the three-year partnership as a strategic investment in Nigerian football.
He expressed the group’s commitment to working with the NPFL and other stakeholders to create sustainable value and enhance the league’s international profile.
The partnership comes as the NPFL prepares for the 2026/27 season amid ongoing efforts to improve the financial and commercial structure of domestic football.
The league is also set to increase financial incentives for participating clubs, with the 2026/27 champions expected to receive a record N1 billion prize, according to the National Sports Commission.
Former Super Eagles players Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Austin Eguavoen and Brown Ideye were among the dignitaries who attended the unveiling of the sponsorship agreement.
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