The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday in Asaba signed a new four-year deal with global kit manufacturing company, Nike in what is expected to continue both parties’ recent cordial relationship.
Nigerian national teams have been kitted by Nike in the past four years and the latest designs donned by the Super Eagles at the last World Cup tournament in Russia hit an unprecedented sales when it was rolled out earlier this year.
The contract was signed at a press briefing conducted at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Media Centre in Asaba, Delta State capital shortly before the Super Eagles engaged Uganda in an international friendly match on Tuesday afternoon.
All members of the NFF Executive Committee led by the President Amaju Pinnick were present at the briefing while Nike was represented by Ms Tina Salminen, the company’s Regional Sports Marketing Director for Africa.
“By and large, we have a very very brilliant contract which I don’t think any African country can boast of. This new contract is very valuable,” began NFF Vice President Shehu Dikko at the briefing.
“When you see how much we will earn for the basic fees, for the sales, for the bonuses which we will declare how much we earn from this deal at the end of the year when we publish our accounts.
“We have already agreed on the account the monies will go into which is the CBN account and that is as part of this board’s transparency which has always been our watchword,” added the League Management Company chairman.
Dikko termed the deal a “four plus four deal”, implying that the Federation have an option to negotiate for an extension after the current one expires in 2022 with another option of renewal of the terms in 2023.
Under the terms of the new deal, Dikko explained that the national teams will use the current designs rolled out this year until 2020 and by the 2020 Olympics Nike will roll out another design.
Tina Salminen conveyed the pleasure of NIKE and says the designer of the current kits cannot wait till 2020.
“NIKE is very happy with its relationship with Nigeria. The jersey we designed for Nigeria for the FIFA World Cup won the award as for Best Designed Jersey and was hugely popular. It is also the first national team ever that has reached the London Museum Awards.
“The designer of this kit is so ready to design another kits for Nigeria before the 2020 Olympics. So, we are only awaiting the signatures and we shall be looking forward to some other great designs,” said Salminen.
