Nigeria's oldest football competition, the Nigeria Federation Cup, has secured a sponsor through the efforts of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Federation Cup, also known as the Nigerian FA Cup or the Challenge Cup, was sponsored by AITEO group until recently, when the NFF revealed global Agri-fintech group Tingo as the competition's new sponsors. It was created in 1945 as the Governor's Cup and was the only football tournament in the country until the Nigeria National Football League system was conceived and given form. The new sponsorship deal comes ahead of the upcoming edition of the 72-team member tournament.
Tingo met requirements for sponsorship among several offers, claims NFF president
The NFF announced the partnership with Tingo on their website. The President of the Nigerian football governing body, Ibrahim Gusau, praised the company for wanting to partner with the NFF to advance the cause of Nigerian football.
He also claimed that they were not the only brand to have approached the NFF for sponsorship and partnership opportunities, but that they stood out among the rest for integrity and credibility.
A statement from the president on the NFF official website welcoming Tingo on board as the sponsors of the Federation Cup, formerly known as the AITEO Cup, reads: “We took our time to conduct due diligence on the company and we found them to be upright and credible,” Gusau said on the official NFF website.
“For us, it is about credibility and integrity. A number of corporates have approached us for partnerships but we are taking our time to evaluate things. I congratulate Tingo for their steadfastness to ensure the actualization of this relationship,” he added. “We believe it is the beginning of great things that will happen between the company and the NFF going forward.”
It is the first partnership that Gusau's administration has been able to seal for the NFF and it was touted as one that will bring visible change to the tournament. The length and the amount committed to the partnership by Tingo was not specified, but it has been hinted to Goalball Live by some sources that it is set to be a long-term relationship.
NFF, Tingo seal partnership agreement on Federation Cup. pic.twitter.com/F8vBNCkrKE
— Francis Achi (@totorimaster) June 1, 2023
Tingo will push Nigerian football further, group COO promises
At the unveiling event held at the NFF secretariat in Abuja, the Chief Operating Officer of Tingo, Mr. Peter Owokolo, thanked the NFF for the privilege.
He also assured that the Federation Cup will take on a new face which will spread into the rest of Nigerian football. “We are honoured to be here and to be able to take the title sponsorship of such a prestigious competition as the Federation Cup. It is a privilege. We are committed to promoting and positively projecting Nigeria Football in every way we can,” he said.
In turn, the NFF general secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi, promised the group that Nigeria's football governing body will push the brand as far as they can thanks to their support. In attendance to listen to the NFF's assurances were Tingo’s Project Coordinator, Dr. Segun Sanni alongside other dignitaries.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
