Get Guardian on Google• Canvasses Support For NPFL
As Abia Warriors head to Lagos this Sunday for an NPFL Matchday 13 fixture against Inter Lagos, their sponsor, Eunisell, says the club is looking well beyond the scoreline.
Abia Warriors are not currently in their best form on the league after 12 games, a far cry from their position at the end of last season, when they narrowly missed qualifying for the continent. But followers of the club are not bothered by the current ranking, not the least Eunisell.
The firm assures fans of the club that the club would take its position among the top sides of the league when the championship gets to the business end.
The oil and gas firm says its partnership with the Umuahia-based side is about more than putting a brand on a jersey. It is about helping to build the Nigerian game, at a time when football still struggles with funding gaps, poor infrastructure and weak institutional support.
“We believe that meaningful corporate participation goes beyond supporting an activity or associating with an institution. It is about recognising the potential that exists within our communities and contributing to an environment where that potential can flourish.
“Football has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, create opportunities and inspire ambition. Our partnership with Abia Warriors reflects our belief that businesses have a role to play in supporting that progress,” said Eunisell founder, Chika Ikenga.
Eunisell argues that clubs are social institutions that provide for young people a route to sustainable careers, give supporters a sense of belonging, and bring economic activity and pride to host communities. They also promote discipline, teamwork, leadership and resilience.
The company says Nigeria has no shortage of talent, adding, however, that lasting excellence needs investment, professional structures and effective administration. A stronger NPFL, it adds, will take shared commitment from football authorities, clubs, sponsors and supporters, with sponsors taking a long-term view.
Eunisell says the future of the game will be built not by players alone, but also by the institutions that support them, the communities that believe in them and the partners willing to invest in what they can become.
“These ideas capture the broader philosophy behind the Eunisell-Abia Warriors partnership: supporting the institutions that sustain football, recognizing the people whose commitment gives it meaning and contributing to opportunities for the next generation.
“Nigeria has abundant football talent, but sustained excellence requires more than individual ability. It demands investment, professional structures, effective administration and opportunities for development.”
Ikenga said that a stronger NPFL requires collective commitment from football authorities, clubs, sponsors and supporters. He added: “Corporate partnerships, when approached with a long-term perspective, can help strengthen the domestic football ecosystem and encourage higher professional standards.”
