Nigeria Premier League

NTN becomes main sponsor of 2023 World Athletics Championships

World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport of athletics, has announced a sponsorship association with the Japanese manufacturing company, NTN.

Following this deal, the brand has been labelled as another main sponsor from the Japanese market.

NTN strengthens the World Athletics sponsorship roster in advance of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Budapest from August 19 to August 27. NTN will also serve as the competition and presentation bib partner for the women’s events. The agreement runs through the end of 2024 and includes other events such as the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga and the 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Championships in Antalya.

NTN is the fourth company from Japan to be included in the elite tier of World Athletics partners, joining Seiko, TDK, and Asics.

The high number of Japanese sponsors is a reflection of Dentsu’s core market in international marketing and advertising. A 10-year international media and marketing rights agreement between Dentsu and World Athletics covers the selling of rights to the World Athletics Championships alongside additional competitions like the World Cross Country Championships. The agreement was inked from 2020 until 2029.

World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe, said, “I’m delighted to welcome NTN Corporation to our sport. Our Official Partners are key contributors to the staging of our World Athletics Series events, and there are none bigger than the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23. We are always looking for partners who share our global vision and want to make the world a better place, and NTN certainly fits that bill. Gender equality is one of our key pillars so I’m particularly pleased to see that NTN will support our female competition programme through the bib sponsorship.”

NTN, CEO, Eiichi Ukai, said, “We are pleased to have the honour of supporting World Athletics. NTN has developed its business globally based on the two Founders’ ‘Frontier Spirit,’ which encourages us to keep taking on challenges, and in the spirit of ‘Coexistence and Co-prosperity’, which encourages us to develop together with society. This is in accord with our corporate philosophy ‘We shall contribute to international society through creating new technologies and developing new products.’ Through its business activities, NTN also contributes to the resolution of social issues, such as respecting human rights, promoting diversity, contributing to local communities, and protecting the environment.

“Through its support for the world’s leading track and field events, NTN will encourage the world’s best athletes to strive for excellence, will promote the World Athletics Series events and the sport of athletics, and will contribute to positive international exchange between nations.”

Since its founding in 1918, NTN has expanded its business internationally with bearings as its primary product. In a variety of industries, such as transportation, aircraft, and rolling stock for railroads, NTN helps reduce energy consumption. As of the end of March 2023, there were almost 200 bases spread throughout 34 nations, 23,027 workers worldwide and 774 billion yen in net revenues.

Nigeria Premier League

Eunisell Gears Up For 2025 Boot Awards Amid Tight Scoring Race

As the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League season nears its thrilling conclusion, on Sunday, May 25, Eunisell Limited, Africa’s leading specialty chemicals and oil production solutions company, is proud to announce its readiness for the prestigious Eunisell Boot Awards.

This year’s event, scheduled for June in Lagos, marks a major milestone—a decade of Eunisell’s steadfast commitment to celebrating excellence and supporting domestic football development in Nigerian football.

The Eunisell Boot Award, is an annual ceremony honouring the NPFL’s highest goal scorer, spotlighting individual brilliance and inspiring the next generation of football
talent.

Since inception, the initiative has become one of the most respected individual
accolades in Nigerian football.

With one match day to go this season, the race for the 2025 Eunisell Boot is intensifying.

Nasarawa United’s currently leads the race to grab the Eunisell Boots with 18 goals.

Yusuf took his tally to 18 goals in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Enyimba.

The trio of Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) Anthony De Souza Ijoma (Abia Warriors) and Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City) have 12 goals each.

Beyond the Boot Awards, Eunisell currently sponsors Abia Warriors, a prominent club in the NPFL, further demonstrating its active support for domestic football development and grassroots talent.

Ken Okeiyi, CEO of Eunisell, emphasized the company’s dedication to the sport and its role in uplifting communities.

Over the years, Eunisell Boot Award has stood as a symbol of recognition, reward, and belief in the power of local talent.

As the NPFL season wraps up, we are once again reminded of the skill, determination, and passion that define Nigerian football.

Eunisell is proud to continue investing in the future of the sport by celebrating those who inspire on and off the pitch.

Eunisell’s involvement in Nigerian football—through both its individual player recognition and club sponsorship—reflects its broader vision to foster excellence, empower youth and promote national pride.

Details of the 2025 Eunisell Boot Awards ceremony, including final date and venue, will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Nigeria Premier League

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL’s New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight at the steady transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), commending the league’s organizers for aligning its calendar with international standards.

Governor Abiodun made the remarks in Abeokuta while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by its President, Ibrahim Gusau, and the Chairman of the NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The officials visited to congratulate the Governor following the official presentation of the 2024/25 NPFL trophy to Remo Stars—champions of this season.

Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, the Governor praised the NPFL’s decision to synchronize its season with global leagues, many of which conclude by May or early June.

“While the champions, our own Remo Stars from Ogun State, were crowned on Sunday, there is just one more game to conclude the season—meaning the NPFL will wrap up in May, just like most European leagues. This is commendable,” he said.

Abiodun, who attended the trophy presentation in Ikenne, also applauded the NPFL board for conducting a smooth and rancor-free season.

“It is to the credit of the NPFL Board, led by my brother, Elegbeleye, that we had this beautiful celebration today. All stakeholders agree that Remo Stars are worthy champions,” the Governor stated.

Present at the reception were several NFF Board members, including Ganiyu, Aisha Falode, and Silas Agara.

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Nigeria Premier League

NPFL Drama: Late Spot-kick Seals Shooting Stars’ Win Over Sunshine Stars

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The decisive goal came in the 84th minute after the referee awarded a late penalty to the home side, following a scramble in the box.

Just two minutes earlier, Sunshine Stars were reduced to ten men when defender Yusuf Olowoshile received a red card.

Shooting Stars capitalized on the advantage, converting the penalty with composure to secure all three points.

Despite the defeat, Sunshine Stars displayed grit and determination, going toe-to-toe with their hosts and creating several scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Emma Offori was a standout performer, making several key saves to keep the Owena Whales in the contest.

Speaking after the match, Shooting Stars head coach Gbenga Ogunbote praised Sunshine Stars for their resilience, labeling their current league standing as “unfortunate.”

On his part, Sunshine Stars coach Bobola Akinfolarin expressed frustration with the result, particularly the timing of the penalty. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team must now shift focus to their final two games of the season.

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