Sports

AITEO Sponsorship: Rumbles In Nigerian Media

Published

8 years ago

September 29, 2017

The biggest cash injection into Nigerian football in recent years has generated a lot of talk in recent days as the media wants more out of the deal
When oil company AITEO Group agreed an $8.2million five years deal with the Nigeria Football Federation in April, it was hailed as the biggest sponsorship intervention in the country’s football in years. The deal that saw the indigenous company become the Official Optimum Partner of the NFF was meant to help offset the salaries of national team coaches.
The otherwise quiet player in Nigeria’s oil sector suddenly became a household name in a football-mad country that has seen its image battered by a shortage of funds in recent years. Many of Nigeria’s coaches had been owed several months of salary arrears and this deal was supposed to bring an end to the incessant stories that found their way into the press tainting the NFF’s image.
The deal was expanded in June when both entities reached an agreement that saw AITEO become naming rights sponsor for the country’s oldest football competition, the Federation Cup in a five-year $850,000 deal. The competition that has struggled to sustain the attention of clubs suddenly became a lot more attractive with an increase in prize money that would hand winners more than $70,000, up from around $5700 a year ago, a 1,128 percent increase.
AITEO has also put up bonuses into encouraging the Nigerian men’s senior national team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup with a crucial match against Zambia in Uyo next month standing between them and Russia 2018. The impact of the oil company’s football sponsorship has been highly evident in such a short time since its first foray into sports. Despite being a B2B that does not sell directly to consumers, its brand name recognition has grown enormously in less than six months.
However, there is a clamour among local media that the company should do more in terms of activating its sponsorship. Despite the mileage it is receiving, there is increased agitation that it is not spending on local advertising. This is one way that the company can give back to the sports media that are regularly pushing content around the AITEO Cup and the Super Eagles.
The sponsorship is still in its early days even though the company looks like it is not prepared for the kind of exposure it is receiving from sponsoring the country’s football. Some newspapers published articles this week quoting an unnamed company official who stated that the Group was not receiving enough leverage for its sponsorship of the Cup and was reconsidering its relationship with the NFF. However, the company moved to swiftly quash the reports less than 24 hours later by indicating that there were no issues with the deal. Insinuations are that it was a planted story overseen by individuals who feel they should be getting more from the deal but are not.
“AITEO’s relationship with NFF is unfettered in any way, and the organisation will continue to ensure that NFF gets the required financial support it needs to perform optimally,” said a statement from the company.
Sports sponsorships are a way for companies to gain brand name recognition and increased sales. But when a company does not sell directly to consumers, brand recognition is the best thing they can get as well as tax incentives.
With a World Cup year coming up really fast and Nigeria’s imminent qualification, one looks forward to seeing AITEO do a lot of media spending in 2018. They have an opportunity to grab the public space and put their name in front of more newspaper readers, TV audiences and radio listeners across Africa as the Super Eagles look set to represent the continent in Russia. That is one way they can give back to the media that has been a key stakeholder in their new found fame.
However, the agitation from media must be channelled properly in order to get the best from the sponsors. There is no need trying to blackmail the company into spending when it is not yet ready. Media must be careful in how they manage these kinds of relationships otherwise they will alienate sponsors and endanger future sponsorships.
Adewuyi is a columnist.

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

23 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

23 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

23 hours ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”