By Miracle Ogunde
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa, (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has hinted on the possibility of acquiring a Nigeria Professional Football League, (NPFL) club.
Elumelu gave the hint on Monday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, describing the move to acquire an NPFL Club as a ‘nice idea.
The billionaire banker and businessman was reacting to an X user’s suggestion that top businessmen and top corporations should acquire the Nigeria league clubs to drive competition.
The X user, LawyerDayo, earlier on Tuesday said, “Can we get the President and Ministry of Sport to weigh in on the big corporations in Nigeria to buy at least one league club as part of CSR? Imagine Dangote buys Kano Pillars, BUA buys Kwara United, Elumelu acquires Rivers United, and Geregu takes over 3SC. Imagine the competition.”
Replying to the suggestion, Elumelu, via his account, confirmed that the Federal Government, via the Sports Minister, had reached out to him for a possible acquisition of certain NPFL clubs and they were working on it.
He said, “This is a nice idea. The Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh @OwanEnoh, is already thinking along this line and has approached me and we are already evaluating viability.”
The NPFL is the highest level of club football in the Nigerian football league system.
The league has suffered from the financial impact and dwindling fortunes since the late 2000s.
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