September 03, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Premier League (NPL) is close to announcing a new title sponsor, according to sources monitored by THEWILL.
The league has been without a lead sponsor since Globacom ended its sponsorship deal after the 2016/2017 season. Representatives from financial services company, GTI Asset Management & Trust, recently held talks with potential sponsors interested in backing the NPFL. One source said the league could unveil a new multi-year agreement as early as next week.
The sponsorship is expected to include significant prize money for the league champion and grants for member clubs. Last week, GTI announced it would raise the top prize to N150 million for the winner of the NPL, up from 100 million naira in the previous season when Enyimba FC claimed the league title. GTI has been a strategic partner for the NPFL as it looks to attract new corporate sponsors and partners.
The NPFL 2023/2024 season will kick off on September 9 with a match between Shooting Stars Sports Club and Plateau United at Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. It will be the only fixture on opening weekend, with the other matches postponed until the following week due to a Nigerian national team commitment.
League Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the standalone opener will become an NPFL tradition, as it allows the event to garner more attention. The match will also be the first streamed on the league’s new mobile app, NPFLLive.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
