House Committee on Sports Set to Review NFF Sponsorship Deals.

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Sports has opted to carry out a total review of all the sponsorship agreements signed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Nigeria Football Federation.
Nigeria Football Federation.

The committee chairman, Honourable Godfrey Ali Gaiya made the call while reacting to NFF’s well publicised lack of funds which resulted to the slashing of national team players’ allowance, the non-payment of coaches as well as the trimming down of the NFF backroom staff.

Part of the sponsorships which would be subjected to review include the title sponsorship deal worth N1, 896,730,000 (around $12 million) launched early May by telecommunication giants Globacom, with the NFF and the League Management Committee (LMC.) The House Committee said the review is in the interest of Nigerian football.

They argued that the present sponsorship arrangement that gave only one marketing company sole right to negotiate deals for NFF and take 20% of all sponsorship funds meant for football is counterproductive and need urgent reviewing.

“Why has it become a tradition that only one marketing firm handles all the NFF sponsorship deals?” asked Gaiya.

“NFF has a marketing department that can deal directly with sponsors without any agent. The agents collect 20% of whatever funds that comes to NFF. N360 millions was given to the NFF this year as part by Globacom, and agents collected N70m from the funds.”

The chairman also questioned the decision of the Aminu Maigari-led board of the NFF to slash down Super Eagles’ match bonus from $10,000 to $5000.

“Agents alone receive N70 million from NFF and the same NFF is saying that they cannot afford to pay players that sweat squarely every 90 minutes on the field their match bonuses and allowances. I disagree that the best way to save cost was to slash players’ bonuses. If the NFF is seriously about saving costs they should cut their market agent fees.”

“Apart from government funds, NFF also gets money from sponsors and in any competition be it CAF or FIFA organised championship there is always appearances fees for such participation and we have never been told how they spend these funds, but from now on they have to tell us how they are spending these funds because we are going to review all sponsorship deals NFF has so that we can protect the best interest of Nigerian football and the country,” Gaiya added.