LAGOS, July 3 — GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, a strategic partner to the Nigeria Premier Football League, has praised the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation for their decision to significantly increase prize money for the winners of Nigeria’s top-flight league.
Andrew Ekejiuba, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, issued a statement in Lagos describing the move as a reflection of Nigerian sports administrators’ determination to make the NPFL more competitive and commercially attractive.
“Increasing the NPFL prize money sends a strong statement of intent that will undoubtedly motivate clubs, improve competitiveness, and send the right signals to investors and stakeholders about the future of Nigerian football,” Ekejiuba said.
He added that additional financial commitment from the NSC to strengthen NPFL operations would further accelerate the league’s development.
Ekejiuba also credited the NPFL Board and GTI Group for what he described as four years of reforms and investment aimed at repositioning the league. Those efforts, he said, included work on corporate governance, commercial value and investor appeal.
Synergy among football’s key institutions was essential for progress, he said, calling the collaboration “a means to an end” rather than an end in itself.
While welcoming the developments, Ekejiuba cautioned against premature celebration.
He said substantial work remained on governance, club licensing, infrastructure, production quality, content and data management, financial accountability and fan engagement.
GTI’s commitment, he said, was to work with the NPFL to build an accountable and transparent football ecosystem capable of attracting more partners and sponsors.
The encouraging part for Nigerian football fans is that the prize money increase appears to be part of a broader strategy rather than a one-off gesture. The early findings from the reforms over the past four years suggest the league is moving in a direction that could sustain investor interest.
Patients — or in this case, clubs and supporters — should watch how the NSC and NFF follow through on the governance and infrastructure improvements that Ekejiuba highlighted as still needing attention.
Talk to your doctor, as the saying goes, but for Nigerian football, the prescription appears to be continued collaboration among the key institutions. The prize money increase is a hopeful step, but the real test will be whether the ecosystem becomes more transparent and accountable over time.
