GTI  targets ambitious $20m commercial boost for NPFL

GTI Group has outlined a wider plan to grow the commercial value of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), targeting between $10 million and $20 million in fresh investment after Euromatch’s $7.5 million title sponsorship deal for the 2026/27 season.

GTI announced the plan at a media parley in Lagos, where officials addressed the league’s commercial growth, infrastructure, club administration, data management and digital content strategy.

GTI Group Managing Director Abubakar Lawal described the Euromatch deal as a vote of confidence in Nigerian football, telling the gathering that Euromatch’s arrival “represents not merely a commercial partnership, but a statement that our elite league has the potential to become one of the most compelling football properties on the African continent.”

 He said the NPFL was built around “a country of more than 230 million people, millions of passionate football followers, a remarkable pool of young football talent and a football culture that is deeply embedded in our national identity,” and that the league’s current fifth-place ranking in Africa “must not” be a source of satisfaction. “Our ambition must be to build an NPFL that competes among the very best leagues in Africa and, ultimately, becomes a globally recognised football brand,” he said.

Lawal used the platform to appeal directly to corporate Nigeria and foreign investors, saying the NPFL “offers enormous possibilities for companies seeking visibility, brand engagement, community impact and long-term commercial opportunities,” with clubs spread nationwide giving sponsors “an unparalleled opportunity to connect with diverse communities and millions of passionate consumers.” He added that backing the league was about more than returns: “It is an investment in talent development, employment, entertainment, grassroots football and the future of the Super Eagles.”

GTI Executive Director Nelson Ine said the group, which began its NPFL partnership in 2022, had used its first years in the league to build structures and meet its financial commitments to clubs before pursuing bigger sponsorship.

He called the Euromatch agreement the NPFL’s first title sponsorship in roughly 15 years, and pressed for stricter enforcement of club licensing rules, arguing that regulations carry no weight without compliance.

Ine also proposed a public-private partnership capable of raising up to ₦50 billion over five years for stadium infrastructure, player development, match production, data management and commercial development, and called for upgraded football facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

On content strategy, a GTI digital strategy representative said plans were underway to expand NPFL coverage beyond match footage into documentaries and club-focused programming, with possible French, Swahili and Lingala translations to reach wider African audiences.

Veteran journalist Kunle Solaja urged Nigerian sports media to intensify statistical analysis, investigative reporting and documentation of NPFL players and clubs, warning that the league’s survival and the domestic media’s survival were linked. He also called for greater inclusion of home-based players in the Super Eagles, arguing this could bring NPFL clubs added revenue through FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme.

Also speaking at the event, Dr Mitchel Obi urged Nigerians to give more attention to the domestic league rather than focusing solely on European football, saying the NPFL should be built into an ecosystem generating economic opportunities for clubs, players, businesses and media organisations.

Lawal said responsibility for the league’s development should be shared across government, club owners, the Nigeria Football Federation, the media, fans and the private sector — “government has a role, club owners have a role, the Nigeria Football Federation has a role, the media has a role, fans have a role” — with GTI reaffirming its long-term ambition to make the NPFL Africa’s leading league. He closed by thanking the sporting press directly, saying reporters “have been more than reporters and commentators” but “important stakeholders in the growth and development of our domestic football,” and urged them to “consult with us when necessary, celebrate our achievements when deserved.”