NNPC Partners Stakeholders To Revitalise Nigerian Football.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has announced its commitment to collaborating with key stakeholders in the sports sector to develop and commercialise football in Nigeria.
During a meeting at the NNPC Towers on Thursday, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Mr Mele Kyari, expressed the company’s readiness to play a pivotal role in revitalising Nigerian football.
“NNPC will be a prime partner in the journey to bring back value to our football, to reshape it, re-engineer it and bring happiness to our people,” Kyari stated. He emphasised football’s potential to generate immense economic benefits for both the nation and NNPC Ltd., describing the sport as a tool capable of transforming the Nigerian economy.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the National Sports Commission, the International Management Group (IMG), and AfroSport Network, was led by Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission.
Dikko highlighted football’s significance in driving economic growth, citing its central role in the economies of leading football nations. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had called for immediate steps to revamp the sport, recognising its potential to revitalise industries across the value chain.
To support this initiative, IMG, renowned for its role in promoting the English Premier League, has been engaged as a technical partner to provide expertise and guidance in repositioning Nigerian football.
This collaboration marks a return to football-related activities for NNPC Ltd., which previously owned NNPC FC Warri, a Division One club in the Nigeria National League, until its disbandment in 1989.
The initiative is expected to herald a new era for Nigerian football, aiming to restore its glory and maximise its economic and social impact.
