NLO announces MTN as NLO Cup headline sponsor

The Nationwide League One (NLO) has announced MTN, one of Nigeria’s telecommunications companies, as the headline sponsor of the NLO Cup. The maiden edition of the tournament will see the best 16 teams in the third tier league in the Nigerian football pyramid compete for the ultimate prize from November 24 to December 9, 2023, at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano and the Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo.

According to Silas Agara, chairman of the NLO, the idea of the NLO Cup is to celebrate clubs that have recorded successes in promotion between the tiers in the lower league system. “On behalf of the leadership of the NLO, we are delighted to announce MTN as the headline sponsor of the NLO Cup. The NLO Cup tourney was conceived as a medium to celebrate teams that have excelled in the graduation from the State League to NLO U19 and from the Youth League to the NLO Division One,” Agara told NLO Media.

“The credibility of the NLO over time has made MTN pitch their tent to the nation’s third-tier domestic league for this project. The project is a success of this partnership in a discussion of over two years, with NLO and MTN to have come to this stage.

“MTN as a responsible corporate organisation wants to support Nigerian youths through grassroots football development, as they have identified football as the major source of joy for over 60 per cent of the youths.

“The telecommunications brand has identified the Nationwide League One  (NLO) as the most critical source and reliable partner to achieve that aim; at the same time.

“MTN will be using the NLO to push their MoMo Money to the minds of all Nigerian youths as a safe platform to save, do business with their money, and a whole lot of things.

“They will also be dishing out a whole lot of freebies and gift items,  to youths that hit the stadium to watch the NLO Cup matches. The telecommunications brand wants to rejuvenate the way Nigerian youths participate in football.”

Last week, NLO announced that it had sealed a sponsorship deal with FirstCentral Credit Bureau. The sponsorship is said to cover the NLO Cup and the Annual General Meeting of the Board on December 8, 2023, ahead of the 2023/2024 season.