Sports

NFF, MTN Partnership Deal Excites Board Members – Pinnick

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2021

There was so much excitement among members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday at the Merriot Hotel, Ikeja. The NFF board members and other stakeholders had gathered at the hotel to unveil yet another sponsorship deal for the country’s football.
Tidesports source reports that a day earlier, the federation had unveiled a pact with the country’s largest airline, Air Peace, which is now the official airline of Nigerian football.
The NFF President, Amaju Pinnick explained that the NFF has an existing pact with oil and gas outfit, AITEO, GAC Motors, Zenith Bank, and Nigerian Breweries, among others. However, Pinnick, believes that the deal with MTN is a game-changer.
According to Pinnick, who was accompanied to the event by NFF’s Second Vice President, Shehu Dikko, Chairperson of the Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL), Aisha Falode, who was compere on the day, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Obinna Ogba, Nigerian football has long been yearning for marriage with MT.
“This is one of the most sought-after partnerships in African football and we are very excited about it.
“We believe that in carrying out sustainable sports development, you need a company that has gone through all levels of growth. That is MTN.
“When we came into the NFF board, all our existing partners were exiting from their contracts. We had to start from scratch and now we can look back in excitement because of where we are now.
“We are not done yet. We want to see Nigerian football achieving 90 per cent financial independence… we have gained so much respect in the world.
“We are glad that as we start our Qatar 2022 World Cup journey, MTN is starting with us,” he said.
Pinnick, who disclosed that the deal is worth N500 million yearly and graduates by five per recent yearly, added that there are other values that cannot be quantified easily. He pledged that NFF would work hard to ensure the partnership worked to everybody’s benefit.
“This is the starting point. Since MTN is now into Nigerian football, the next step is to see how we can get them into the league.” he said.
Earlier, MTN’s Chief Operating Officer, Karl Toriola, described his company’s ‘growing relationship with Nigeria’s dynamic football ecosystem’ as an honour to invest in and support a platform that unites Nigerians.
“Football is a unifying national obsession. It brings people together, breaks down boundaries, creates conversations, and inspires. We are privileged to have this opportunity to partner with the NFF and to be able to support all Nigeria’s national football teams over the next three years,” Pinnick said.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

1 day ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

1 day ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

1 day ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.