Sports
Ministry Names Nilayo Marketer For Tokyo 2020 Olympics
In line with its resolve to encourage public private partnership and turning sports into a viable business, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has entered into an agreement with Nilayo Sports Management Limited, as the official marketer of Team Nigeria to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Minister, Sunday Dare.
In his remarks, the minister said: “We gave them the marketing rights, having considered the profiles and track records of several other marketing companies. We feel that Nilayo has what it takes to market team Nigeria to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
In his response, Bukola Olopade commended the ministry, under the leadership of Mr. Dare, saying his arrival signals the best time for sports entrepreneurs. He promised that the target given to the minister would be met and possibly surpassed.
He also applauded the minister’s Adopt-An-Athlete initiative, which he said is gaining ground, assuring that he would work round the clock to ensure that enough funds are raised for Team Nigeria, in line with the agreements reached.
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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