TheCable

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has signed a new deal with sportswear brand, NIKE.

The “improved” agreement was signed on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by officials from both organisations in Asaba, Delta state capital.

The four-year deal has a renewal clause that will extend the partnership to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We need to know where we are coming from to be able to appreciate where we are now,” said Amaju Pinnick, president of the NFF.

“A few months after we came on board for our first term in office, I was told that we needed to buy jerseys for the National Team to play a football match.

“That was how bad it was because the kit sponsor at that time terminated the contract.

“So, I made contacts with some highly connected persons and worked hard to convince NIKE to come on board. We were coming from a weak position but they made the agreement flexible for us.

“Today, we are happy we teamed up with NIKE because after we qualified and participated at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, the company was the one chasing us for a new improved contract.”

Shehu Dikko, chairman of NFF marketing, sponsorship and TV rights committee, said all the national teams “are captured” in the new deal.

Tina Salminen, NIKE’s sports marketing director (African Football), said the company is “very happy with its relationship with Nigeria”.

Salminen added: “The jersey we designed for Nigeria for the FIFA World Cup won the award as for best-designed jersey and was hugely popular.

“It has remained a source of reference in NIKE meetings and events ever since. Nigeria is one of the big teams in world football and we are happy to get them to sign a long-term contract.”