NPFL targets Chinese market, opens representative office in China

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has reached an understanding with a China-based company to establish a presence in the Chinese market and attract investments from the Asian country, and also promote closer ties between the league in both countries.

A Memorandum of Understanding was, on Wednesday, signed at the corporate headquarters of the NPFL, which mandates Hunan Galaxy Global Trade Development Company Limited to operate the NPFL office, and approach relevant Chinese businesses and other agencies with a view to growing the league’s presence in one of the world’s advanced economies.

Speaking on the development, NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said that the move is part of continuous efforts to widen the financial base of the league through innovative approaches in administration.

“We are casting our nets near and far to attract investment and sponsorship to the NPFL so that we would be in a position to give more money to our clubs and they would in turn raise the players paycheck.  

“This way, we can retain our best league players here and our clubs can compete well on the continent,” he said.  

Earlier, Hunan Galaxy CEO, Austin Akpehe, who was represented by Idowu James, said that the partnership is coming just when economic and cultural relationship between Nigeria and China is on its peak.

“This was recently reaffirmed by the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to China, where he participated in discussions on trade and cooperation aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between our nations.

“Today, we are laying the foundation for one of these pillars—sports and more specifically, Nigeria Football Made in China being jointly led by the NPFL and our company. This MOU represents a bold and visionary step to open a representative office that will serve as a bridge linking

Nigerian football, particularly the NPFL, with the biggest economy in the world”.
He expressed optimism that operating a representative office in China will unlock endless opportunities that will take Nigerian sports and culture far beyond national shores.

By the partnership, Hunan Galaxy Global Trade Development Company is expected to, in addition to marketing the NPFL to the Chinese market, also facilitate inter-league relationships that would see exchange of playing tours by clubs of both leagues.