In a significant move to revitalize Nigerian football, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, aimed at enhancing the coverage and promotion of domestic football across the nation.
The partnership will leverage FRCN’s extensive radio network to deliver live match commentary, in-depth analysis, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and league officials, bringing the excitement of Nigerian football to millions of fans nationwide. NPFL Chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, hailed the collaboration as a transformative step for the sport, predicting it would boost the league’s visibility, attract new sponsorships, and deepen fan engagement.
Elegbeleye emphasized the unique reach of radio, stating, “Unlike television, which requires you to be at home, radio allows fans—whether on their farms, at work, or on the move—to stay connected with live updates. This partnership ensures our football reaches every corner of Nigeria, promoting the league and growing the sport’s ecosystem.”
The NPFL chairman noted that the league has already seen progress, with improved rankings and greater inclusion of local talent in the national team, a trend he believes this partnership will accelerate.
FRCN Director-General Mohammed Bulama echoed this optimism, reaffirming the corporation’s commitment to reigniting football fervor in Nigeria. He recalled the golden era of the 1960s to 1980s when radio commentary drove stadium attendance and even influenced newspaper sales, with fans often pairing muted TV broadcasts with vibrant radio play-by-play.
Bulama lamented the decline in local football’s popularity, partly due to reduced radio coverage, which shifted attention to foreign leagues like the English Premier League. “This strategic partnership with the NPFL aims to reverse that trend,” he declared, “bringing back the magic of radio football commentary and placing Nigerian football on an upward path once more.”
The MoU marks a renewed effort to harness radio’s unparalleled reach to reconnect fans—especially in rural areas—with the domestic game, promising a brighter future for Nigerian football.