Governing Bodies
GTI explains the unique investment features of The Nigeria Football Fund
When the pot of gold for Nigeria’s football development, The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF) was launched on Tuesday 22 March 2022, it also marked the 42nd anniversary of Nigeria’s winning of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 1980.
According to GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, where the TNFF is domiciled, the fund the fund comes with a lot of features aimed at turning our football industry from its obscure recreational status to a pure business enterprise.
Many invitees who witnessed the epoch-making event attested to the fact that TNFF is very different from other existing Funds in the market.
As a kicker, an investor in TNFF will notice that the fund has three major unique irresistible and rewarding features different from other funds in the market.
First, most of the existing Funds are either Equity, Money Market, Bonds or Real Estate Funds, but TNFF is a Football Fund which has never existed anywhere in the African continent or in the world.
It is also a unique developmental Fund which is more of a national project that is distinct and novel. The Fund completely uses a blue ocean strategy that differentiates it from others.
Second, TNFF is committed to building a “Football Economy” within the Nigeria sports ecosystem that is aimed at solving a major national challenge.
For purpose of clarity, a Football Economy consists of football and other sporting activities measurable in statistical terms as a significant component of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Other sporting activities include Basketball, Boxing, Athletics, Table/Lawn Tennis, Golf, Polo, Cricket, etc.
At present, Football and other sports in Nigeria are faced with challenges like inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, administrative hiccups and poor event management, amongst others.
Thus, the TNFF initiative seeks to provide liquidity support to football or sporting projects targeted at the growth and development of the football economy and its value chain in Africa’s most populous black nation, Nigeria.
As noted earlier, TNFF is a national project that seeks to address the various challenges in the sports ecosystem, build a strong and sustainable football/sports economy by delivering efficiency in the funding management and administration of the beautiful game.
TNFF is also a project that will help transform football from a socio-political tool to a profitable business enterprise and by extension, a national asset that will help in transforming Nigerian Football Clubs into a profitable business enterprise, with the multiplier effects that will drive a cycle of growth across several other sectors. TNFF further supports government’s drive for revenue diversification.
However, the third special feature of TNFF is that it guarantees financial rewards for the passion investors have for football or sports in general. Here, passion for sports/football is rewarded with financial returns, as sporting/football fans become football investors and become financially rewarded for it.
Simply put, investment by corporate bodies or individuals in TNFF is an investment in the development of football in Nigeria and such investment will help in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Football.
For example, many corporate bodies incur yearly expenditures on sponsorships, which are usually written off in their statement of profit or loss.
Thus, TNFF provides an opportunity to capitalize such “donations” made to develop football infrastructures, thereby assisting in restructuring the balance sheet through the reclassification of “donations to football” to “investment in football”.
Finally, every investor in TNFF has nothing to fear because the fund has been so uniquely designed for safety in order to provide a win-win situation for the investors, stakeholders and it enhances the growth cum development of the beautiful game in Nigeria.
TNFF is the only magical wand that can lay a rock-solid foundation; propel our football to a desirable height and also lessen the burden of government in funding a professional sport like football.
The time for local and foreign investors to invest in TNFF is now because of the growth potential of the investment. It may be too late to get it at a lower price in the near future for a stitch in time saves nine.
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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