Nigerian Football

NFF GETS OFFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES PROVIDER

Published

6 years ago

January 21, 2018

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced WAPIC Insurance as its insurance services provider.

According to a media release, NFF on Friday in Lagos signed an agreement that conferred on the insurance company, the title of ‘Official Insurance Services Provider and Co-Sponsor of the NFF.’

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick expressed his delight and that of the federation with the contract, “which now provides excellent safety and security for our active national team players and officials while on duty and offers a well –paved route for them to have a better future through proper pension fund.

“WAPIC, like the present NFF, is an organization driven by positive vision. WAPIC aims to emerge as a top two full service West African insurance company while the NFF, through its Goal Project, wants to build mini-secretariats and football fields in all States and the FCT and build a sustainable football culture in the country. It is a union of two companies with positive energy.”

Managing Director of WAPIC Insurance PLC, Mrs Yinka Adekoya, affirmed that the company was excited to team up with Nigerian Football, given the huge role that football plays in nation –building and the excitement that it generates among the youth and adults alike.

“The NFF is an organization that is making Nigeria proud through the excellent results of the national teams and WAPIC is a top financial institution seeking to be the most enjoyable company to do business with and to become a top 20 financial services institution in Nigeria by 2019.”

NFF’s 2^nd Vice President/Chairman of Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights Committee, Shehu Dikko, explained that the contract is for five years in the initial with an option of renewal, and will cost the insurance outfit close to N100 million every year.

“This agreement gives us tremendous peace of mind as it provides insurance cover for all the national teams, our assets and events. WAPIC will in turn have access to all our matches and events.

“We are also very happy that Sen Force Insurance Brokers are involved in this, and will advise us on the best insurance cover and properties to take for our teams, assets and events and will write for our claims whenever there is the need.

“We also want to explore the important area of pension fund for our players and valuable advice to them on the packages best for them.”

WAPIC Insurance PLC offers a diverse range of products and services covering life, general and special risk businesses. It was founded in 1958 and licensed to underwrite all classes of insurance risks, and was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in 1990.

Chairman of Sen Force, Anirejuoritse Ojuyah assured that his company will broker what is best for Nigerian Football throughout the life of the contract, while NFF 1^st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi pledged that the Federation will abide by every letter of the agreement.

Also present at the signing were Chairman of WAPIC Insurance PLC, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Bode Ojeniyi (Executive Director, WAPIC), Aisha Falode (Member, NFF Executive Committee), Olufemi Obaleke (Executive Director, WAPIC), Dere Otubu, Peter Ehinmen (Chief Risk Officer, WAPIC), Mr. Patrick Osadebe (Head, Retail Division), Miss Aina Akintonde (Head, Service and Fulfilment), Sunny Ogbemudia (Chief Internal Auditor), Ademola Olajire (NFF Director of Communications) and Colin Udoh (Member, NFF Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights Committee).

The agreement came only 48 hours after beverage company, Coca-Cola signed up as ‘Official Soft Drink and Co-Sponsor of the Nigeria National Teams,’ and Shehu Dikko, who is also NFF’s Strategy Committee head, confirmed to thenff.com that more partnership agreements are on the way in the coming weeks.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Remo Stars on Friday inch closer to achieving their first ever title in the Nigeria elite division league after beating visiting Niger Tornadoes 3-0 to move second on the log and just a point behind league leaders, Enugu Rangers.

Remo Stars are now with 53 points and still have an outstanding home game to play.

Friday’s win which comes on the eve of the proprietor’s birthday has put the team back into contention for the title.

They have progressively become prominent in the Nigerian premier league having placed third two seasons ago and second last season.

Top finish this season will confirm their progression and also a third consecutive continental outing.

Top scorer, Sikiru Alimi launched them of victory path as his 28^th minute penalty kick heralded their return to high scoring ways.

It has been a while since they scored high in the league. Barely three minutes later, Sikiru, a contender for the top scorer award increased the tally to two.

Ahmed Akinyele completed the route in the 75^th minute.

Nigerian Football

Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers

Published

5 days ago

April 23, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.

The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.

Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.

The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.

Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.

However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.

Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.

Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.

The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Groups:

Group A: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin

Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.

Nigerian Football

Former Nigeria international, Onye recommends Amuneke-Siasia combo for Super Eagles

Published

6 days ago

April 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Kingsley Onye, the left sided defender who was a member of the first Flying Eagles side to have a podium finish at the U-20 World Cup has suggested the employment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the coach of the Super Eagles.

He wants him to be assisted by Samson Siasia when the ban on the latter lapses in August. Alternatively, Onye pointed to Sylvanus Okpala as alternative to Siasia.

The Super Eagles are in dare need for a head coach as the clock ticks down to the Match day 4 and 5 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in which the team is trailing at the third position.

The two matches in early June are crucial for the Super Eagles to bounce back into reckoning as the team can not afford to drop any of the available six points in the duels with South Africa at home and away to Benin.

From this Monday, it is 41 days to the potentially challenging tie with South Africa, but the Nigerian national team has been without a coach since the expiration of the contract of Portugal’s Jose Peseiro shortly after the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Without mincing words, Onye remarked: “Emmanuel Amuneke is the right man for the job of the coach of Super Eagles. He has been there before.

“He tasted it and had been fantastic with the Nigeria youth team, the U-17 by assisting Manu Garba to win the U17 World Cup in 2013 and as head coach, led the Golden Eaglets to win the cup again in 2015.”

Onye who played for the Enugu Rangers in Nigeria before venturing to the UK but had his career scuppered by freak injury pointed out that the solution to Super Eagles’ technical deficiency is the appointment of an indigenous coach and that Amuneke is the man.

In buttressing his assertion, he declared: “As a senior team coach, Amuneke qualified a long standing absentee team, Tanzania for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

“He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.”

Onye also looked at the personality of Amuneke in recommending him for the Super Eagles job.

His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.