Telecommunications giant, MTN, has reaffirmed its commitment to the growth of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), while urging individuals and corporate bodies to promote, celebrate and make noise about the championship.
 
Arguing that Nigerians should show more interest in the NPFL than they are currently doing for European leagues, MTN said that the local game would gain more traction if the people invested the same amount of passion, resources and energy in supporting it.
 
Speaking at the Bay Lounge, Lekki, Lagos, where it hosted an English Premier League (EPL) watch party for the football match between Liverpool and Arsenal, over the weekend, MTN, which is the official telecommunications partner of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), pledged its preparedness to invest more to support the league.
 
Explaining its decision to host the watch party, MTN’s Senior Manager, Sales and Distribution, Ekundayo Fatoki, said: “Football is a unifying factor in Nigeria, so MTN is tapping into the passion point of Nigerians, and it also shows our love for our customers; we care for them.    
“People forget their troubles when they hear about football; so, we want to connect with our customers.
 MTN is also heavily involved in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). We are keenly involved in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) sponsorship and looking at how to make our own better; so, we are investing in Nigerian football.”
 
On what the Nigerian league managers can learn from EPL, he said: “From a visibility point of view, I think we need to love our own. Nigerians must love the league. If we watch our own game the way we put passion in the European league, a lot will change.

“Nigerians should prioritise and make noise about the league. We must promote the NPFL, love it and support it.”
 Assessing the current English Premier League, which is in its third week, he said: “Chelsea is doing a lot of havoc in the league, coming from one goal down to winning 5-1 against West Ham United. I am optimistic that Chelsea will come top in this year’s season.”