The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has inked a strategic partnership agreement with GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd., signalling a significant move for the country’s football landscape.
According to Andrew Ekejiuba, GTI’s Media Officer, the ceremony, held in Abuja, is poised to elevate the commercial value of Nigeria’s oldest domestic club competition, the FA Cup, and foster increased sponsorship.
Ibrahim Gusau, President of the NFF, applauded the accomplishments of the GTI Group in their collaboration with the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League) and expressed optimism about the positive impact this partnership would have on the development of the FA Cup.
NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, shared his enthusiasm, stating, “The NFF is delighted about this partnership as we are keen to have the glory days of the Federation Cup back. This agreement has the potential to robustly improve the country’s football economy.”
GTI’s Group Managing Director, Abubakar Lawal, affirmed that the company’s expertise and experience would contribute to enhancing the management of the FA Cup. He assured stakeholders that, starting from the 2023–2024 edition, the structure and prize money of the FA Cup would undergo improvements.
Lawal emphasised, “We expect that between now and the first three years of this deal, the FA Cup would have been transformed to a very competitive tournament full of excitement and glamour.” He encouraged the investing public to consider supporting football development through The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF), a registered initiative with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Established in 1945, the FA Cup stands as Nigeria’s premier single-elimination football tournament, engaging over 2,000 teams across the 774 local governments of the Federation and FCT.
GTI previously became a strategic partner for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in 2022, demonstrating its commitment to restructuring and enhancing the elite league.