Lagos: The Executive Director of GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd, Mr. Nelson Ine, says Nigeria’s topflight football league could attract more than N200 billion in investments within five years. Ine made this announcement during a webinar convened at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, where he discussed investment opportunities in the country’s football ecosystem. The event, themed ‘Grassroots Football Investment and Its Impact on Youths,’ highlighted the potential transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to significantly boost its commercial value, attracting both local and foreign investors.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ine emphasized that the league could be valued at over N200 billion, equivalent to about 150 million dollars, with sustained reforms and structured funding. “We are confident that in another five years, the NPFL will be worth well over N200 billion. The potential is enormous and the opportunity is clear,” he stated. The initiative is being driven through the
Nigerian Football Fund, a specialized investment vehicle designed to channel private capital into football assets. This fund allows Nigerians and other investors to partake in the long-term commercial growth of the country’s football industry.
Ine further explained that the objective is to invest in sports assets that are economically viable and capable of transforming football into a profitable sector. He stressed that Nigeria possesses the population, talent, and passion needed to build a robust football economy, but the sector must adopt a business-driven approach rather than a social mindset. “If you do not invest, do not expect. Nigeria has not invested enough in football, yet expectations from the sector remain very high,” Ine remarked.
The GTI executive highlighted the necessity for supportive government policies to attract investors into sports, suggesting that tax incentives, sound regulation, and strong corporate governance could protect investments and boost investor confidence. He noted that foo
tball investment extends beyond matchday activities, offering extensive economic benefits, including job creation for players, coaches, medical teams, administrators, and other support staff.
Ine identified merchandising, ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcasting rights as key revenue streams that could strengthen club finances. He assured that the fund operates within Nigeria’s capital market regulatory framework to ensure investor protection, allowing for partial diversification into money market instruments and equities to enhance financial stability. This initiative provides Nigerians an opportunity to engage in the transformation of the country’s football industry and aims to support grassroots football development, with potential expansion into women’s football and other sports in the future.
He urged Nigerians to capitalize on this investment opportunity using the GTI investment app and emphasized the need for stronger investment and governance in grassroots football to unlock youth development op
portunities and fortify Nigeria’s sports economy. Ine advocated for a structured transition program to harness young talents and build a sustainable pool of professional players for clubs nationwide, highlighting the need for consistent capacity building and the adoption of modern technology to revolutionize the sector.
The webinar also featured presentations by Abiodun Ogunniyi, Head of Research at GTI, while Tewogbade Abegunde, Coordinator of GTI Finance Academy, moderated the session.