NFF president calls for equal access to innovative sponsorships for women’s league

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau has urged that women’s shot beryllium fixed adjacent entree to innovative sponsorships similar the precocious launched betPawa’s Locker Room Bonus, insisting that pistillate players merit the aforesaid designation and information arsenic their antheral counterparts.

Speaking astatine the unveiling of the ₦494 cardinal Locker Room Bonus (LRB) for the Nigeria National League (NNL), Gusau praised the inaugural but stressed that the women’s league indispensable not beryllium near behind.

“When you speech astir women’s shot successful Africa, it is Nigeria. Our girls are the pridefulness of the continent, but they are much susceptible than the boys. They request this benignant of inaugural to promote and prolong them. We indispensable statesman to bring firm sponsors into the women’s crippled due to the fact that they merit to payment conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic the men,” helium said.

The NNL statement guarantees each victorious nine ₦1,288,000 per match, with ₦56,000 paid straight to 20 players and 3 method unit via mobile money, portion the league besides receives ₦400,000 to enactment its operations.

Over a afloat play of 292 matches, players volition collectively gain ₦369 million, portion much than ₦100 cardinal volition spell to the NNL’s structure, alongside ₦8.1 cardinal for end-of-season awards.

By contrast, the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership Super 6 presently offers a full prize excavation of ₦24.5 million, with the champions receiving ₦10 million.

The gulf is significant: nether a Locker Room Bonus-style scheme, a women’s squad could perchance gain ₦128 cardinal crossed a play from lucifer wins alone.

Gusau argued that bridging specified disparities is captious to sustaining Nigeria’s dominance successful women’s football. “Our pistillate players are talented, resilient, and accordant winners. But without capable information and structures, we cannot prolong that success. They should besides locomotion into their locker rooms and get their alerts instantly aft a win. That is however we physique equity and fortify the women’s game,” helium said.

Borah Omary Ndanyungu, Head of Local Marketing and CSR astatine betPawa, the institution down the Locker Room Bonus, explained that adjacent accidental has ever been a halfway rule of the initiative.

“Wherever we person launched Locker Room Bonus — successful Ghana, Uganda, and elsewhere — women’s teams person received the aforesaid per-win rewards arsenic the men. There is nary discrimination. For us, it’s astir motivating players, professionalising the game, and supporting grassroots sport. Nigeria’s women merit to bask the aforesaid benefits,” helium said.

Players person already hailed the strategy successful the NNL arsenic life-changing. Rising men’s league prima Christian Chidozie said: “Every subordinate would emotion this motivation. Ten wins means ₦560,000 successful your pocket. It volition bring retired the champion successful america and marque the league much competitive.”

Gusau suggested that akin incentives could beryllium transformative for pistillate players, galore of whom are grossly underpaid .

The NFF president besides emphasised that equitable sponsorships volition unfastened bigger doors for women’s football. “We request to promote our girls. They are much vulnerable, but besides much committed. If we get them the close support, they volition present adjacent much occurrence for Nigeria,” helium said.

The station NFF president calls for adjacent entree to innovative sponsorships for women’s league appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.