NCC doles out N23m for 2017 Tennis League

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will give to winners about N23 million in this year’s NCC Tennis league, which is currently at the semifinal stage.

The Tennis League, which the commission described as the greatest addition to Nigerian sports, is centered on engaging and empowering Nigerian youths and promotes healthy competition in the game across the country. It would also provide a platform to showcase and improve their talent.

The prize money ranges from N7 million for the winner, N5 million to the runner up, N3 million and N2 million respectively for the third and fourth place teams, among others.

Speaking in Enugu after one of the semifinals of competition, NCC Head of Public Relations, Mr. Reuben Muoka, who witnessed Team Muller’s defeat of Team Ndoma-Egba by 5 to 2 games, explained that the NCC League has revitalized the country’s tennis.

He disclosed that the competition features teams made of male and female players, adding, “We debuted in 2015 with National Tennis League (NTL). Last year, 10 teams participated and 12 teams are participating in this year’s edition.

“The major objective is to improve tennis in this country because we take quality tennis to all parts of the country and those that participate in this tournament are the best Nigerian tennis payers, male and female. We gave each of the 12 teams N500, 000 to enable them prepare for this competition.”

Captain of Tennis Section of Enugu Sports Club, Dr. Lawrence Azike said the tournament was in line with the government’s desire to partner with the private sector to promote sporting activities in the country.

He also stressed that it was an opportunity to empower Nigerian youths to make a living through tennis and contribute their own quota to national development.

The tournament, which has been taken to 12 different major cities of Nigeria, including Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ilorin, Onitsha, Jos, Ibadan, Ekiti and Owerri, had its first semifinal in Enugu at the weekend.

The second semifinal will hold in Abuja in December, while the final will be staged in Lagos.