Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye

Potential buyers interested in acquiring the broadcasting rights for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are encouraged to engage in negotiations with the league officials. The Chairman of the NPFL, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, clarified on Wednesday that the league's marketing strategy focuses on non-exclusivity, leaving room for additional rights holders to be onboarded.

Elegbeleye expressed surprise at claims by an individual asserting that a $11 million offer for the rights was made to the NPFL before the StarTimes deal. He debunked these claims, stating that the negotiation with StarTimes spanned months, and no other offers were presented during that period.

Addressing efforts made by the defunct Interim Management Committee (IMC) to secure a broadcast partner, Elegbeleye revealed that the NPFL had approached Supersport through the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), but Supersport did not express interest in the proposal. He emphasized the league's openness to negotiations, citing the provision for third-party investors in the existing StarTimes deal.

Elegbeleye highlighted the recent unbundling of the broadcast bouquet, allowing for multiple partners to participate. He affirmed the league's willingness to accommodate genuine interests in the broadcast partnership.

Responding to allegations that the NPFL violated the Public Procurement Act, Elegbeleye clarified that the league is registered as a private company limited by guarantee at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and is not government-funded. He asserted that the NPFL operates transparently, relying on funds generated through sponsorships to maintain the league's integrity.

Elegbeleye also dismissed criticisms regarding the absence of NPFL broadcasts for the past six years, noting that the league had successfully aired the Super 6 tournament on television. He urged interested parties to approach the NPFL office or the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for further negotiations.

As of now, the NPFL has secured two broadcast partners: Propel Sports Africa (PSA) for the Over The Top (OTT) platform and StarTimes for the Direct To Home (DTH) cable platform.

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