SPG Takes Over Female Football League

The NFA marketer and Chief Executive Officer of Pamodzi Chief Mike Itemuagbor confirmed that a switch has been effected. Pamodzi brokered the deal.

"Yes, it is correct that SPG has taken over the sposonsorship of the female league. That is the much I can say now but the NFA will give all the details to the media in due course," he said.

 The development means that SPG has switched from the Challenge Cup to the main event. 

The Chief Executive Officer of SPG Stella Oduah told our reporter that the decision to sponsor football was not an impromptu affair.

"We had studied the system carefully before settling in. We looked carefully at sports administration in Nigeria with our agent before venturing in.

"We had a special interest in female sports generally before zeroing in on football. Having watched the scene closely, our desire and determination is to change the face of female soccer in Nigeria. We want the ladies to have joy and pride in what they do and this we believe can be achieved if we change the playing conditions for these young ladies. When they are satisfied, it is good for them and their families, good also for the Falcons and Nigerian football and we'll be quite happy and satisfied," she said.

The company also considered female basketball before they settled for football. SPG is taking over as the title sponsors of the league from Globacom who were officially on the NFA's listing until last week. It was not immediately clear why the telecommunications company failed to continue with the ladies. But over the last months, Globacom who are the sponsors of the men's version have been in disagreement with the Acting Secretary General of the NFA Fanny Amun. The disagreement, reportedly, borders on the details of the contract earlier signed during the tenure of Taiwo Ogunjobi as the NFA Secretary General.

The female league had stayed without sponsors for seasons after former sponsors Pepsi withdrew. Succor seemed on the way with Globacom until the disagreement turned the league which has already kicked off into a very unhighlighted affair in the media and amonsgt female soccer fans.