By: Gracious Akujobi
The Nigeria Premier league received a big boost Monday with the announcement that the League Management Committee (LMC) has secured a $34 million deal for the league.
Briefing the Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi in his office in Abuja, the chairman of the LMC, Nduka Irabor said the deal with the South Africa Satellite Television giants, Super Sports will run from 2015 to 2019.
Irabor recalled that the league could not generate enough funds after its inauguration on December 27 last year due to series of litigations they faced it.
He urged the minister to persuade the federal government to assist the league with financing to enable it live to the international standard.
Continuing Irabor, disclosed that there are other benefits that will improve the league and develop it further to enable it reach the standard in Europe and elsewhere.
“Aside the money, Super Sports has also agreed to give out five hundred million decoders to its viewers across the country to enable the fans to watch at least six matches weekly on a free to air basis.
“Let me commend the LMC members for raising N90 million loans to enable the league to take off. I must also thank NFF boss Aminu Maigari and sports minister for giving us the mandate to improve the status of the league” Nduka quipped
Responding the Minister of Sports, Abdullahi said he was excited with the land mark achievement of the LMC stressing that the league that was unable to pay allowances to match officials and was described by a Nigerian company as worthless has improved greatly.
He congratulated the Aminu Maigari-led board for the deal noting that it is during their tenure that peace returned and they have made huge progress.
