Relationship With Coca-Cola Impresses NFF

General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Bolaji Ojo-Oba said on Tuesday that the Federation holds its partner, Coca-Cola in high esteem because of the soft drinks’ company’s long relationship with football and seriousness.

“We have high respect for Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd. And this is one of the reasons why we decided to go with them on a fresh five–year contract, believing that they will always fulfill their pledges and respect the agreement to the letter,” said Ojo-Oba.

The NFF and Coca-Cola on Monday signed a new, five–year contract worth N555 million plus Value-In-Kind of N100 million.

At a ceremony inside the Conference Room of the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, both parties said they were happy to pen the new deal that has strengthened the relationship between one of the world’s biggest behemoths and Nigeria football.

Responding to a question, Coca-Cola’s Executive Director, Marketing, Mr. Austin Ofomba said: “Even if Nigeria did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup, we would still have done this, because of our belief in the Nigeria game and the Nigeria youth.

“That we opted out of the FA Cup, which we took from almost nothing to the height we left it last year, was just company policy to re–strategize.

“Now, we are doing the COPA Coca-Cola which is pipelining future stars for Nigeria football.” The present contract will expire on January 31, 2010, while the new one will end on December 31, 2014.

The expiring agreement was signed six years ago and had the value of N48 million per year. Coca-Cola is one of only six global partners of world football–governing body, FIFA.