BUSINESS OF FOOTBALL IN NIGERIA: The Audacity to Invest Now!

 What audacity do I have to call on sports business minds to invest in a country designated as high risk – corruptions, unstable polity, incessant militancy and terrorists attacks?  Some of which is also found in the business of football in Nigeria.

 But as a sport marketing professional, I want to turn your attention away from the wrong things to show you some indicators of high profitability and why I think football business in Nigeria is where you should invest now.

MINT Country: Nigeria is among the MINT countries that were forecasted to be one of the world’s greatest  economies in the next 10 years or so; because of its largely developing human, material and financial capacity gains, which I think compensate for the some what restrictive climate

Infrastructure is developing rapidly in the country. There’s easy communication with Nigeria alone housing over 90 million GSM subscribers. Transportation is smooth, especially air. Road could be a bit hectic in densely populated cities like Lagos, but that’s understandable. Security can be better, but relatively safe in most cities and sports arenas in the country.

Transformation Agenda: The government transformation agenda is more visible in the area of football sport in Nigeria. National Sports Commission (NSC), Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and indeed, League Management Company (LMC) are neck bent on the re-engineering of football business in Nigeria. There’s  a lot of human and infrastructural development projects currently going on. Structures and policies are being put in place to ensure sustainable and rapid growth, especially in the next few years.

The result is already showing, Nigeria is once again dominating the African football terrain and spearheading African challenge in world football. Nigeria is the current African champions, World under 17 champions in the men category and current African women under 17 champions…

Football Demand: Nigeria has over 160 million people with an unquenchable thirst and love for football. There’s no gainsay of the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the right investment made in the business of football in this country.

Although, you may say the stadiums are still empty, but the sports Radio and TV programs are however bombarded daily with calls from football fans; social media is full of enthusiastic hands and minds bantering with football matters. The few Satellite TV providers; viewing centers, China’s adulterated memorabilia merchants are smiling to the bank. This is partly due to the strong interest in the English Premier league and the Spanish Laliga.

However, Research has shown that dual interest could be developed among football consumers in Nigeria. Arenas like Enyimba International Stadium Aba, Sanni Abacha Stadium Kano, get filled to capacity anytime the clubs, Enyimba FC and Kano Pillars are doing well in Nigeria Premier League or CAF-Champions League.

Large Deposit Of Talents: Nigeria has produced the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-jay Okocha, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amunike, Sunday Oliseh, Rashidi Yekini, Stephen Keshi… and more recently, Mikel Obi, Vincent Enyeama to mention a few. It is the home of physically strong and skillful players.

Academies are springing up by the day; new talents like Kelechi Ihenacho (MVP in the recently concluded FIFA Under 17 World Cup) are being discovered both in the academies and at the club level, but not in the required and expected numbers.

Nigeria is blessed with a large deposit of football talents yet to be discovered. This is one area that needs more investment. Top flight clubs around the world can establish “feeder teams” in this country by investing in clubs, academies and other talent hunts projects.

Where You Can Invest?  Opportunities are open in football education – academies for players, institutions for football professional courses, especially in Administration and Management. Clubs buy over from state government ownership, building and stadium management; Data bank and research institutes for football intelligent system, sport marketing support agencies – sponsorship, advertising and other promotional projects.

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