Tony Elumelu, renowned philanthropist and Nigerian billionaire, has officially expressed his interest in acquiring a club in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).
He confirmed ongoing discussions with the Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh, regarding this venture as earlier reported by SpeedySports.
As the CEO of United Bank of Africa (UBA), Elumelu revealed that he and other prominent figures in the country have been approached by the minister to assess the feasibility of club ownership.
This move aims to enhance the development of the league and serve as a form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Responding to discussions on X about private ownership of clubs in Nigeria, where a user suggested involvement of big corporations in club acquisitions as part of CSR, Elumelu praised the idea with a thumbs-up emoji. However, he clarified that while discussions are ongoing, no concrete decisions have been made yet.
Historically, Nigeria has seen clubs owned by private individuals like Ifeanyi Uba, who participated in continental football, Abiola Babes, Vandrezzer Football Club, and MFM FC, among others.
With Elumelu’s confirmation, there is hope for a business-oriented approach to Nigerian football that can compete globally at the highest level.
