Strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, have reassured all stakeholders and clubs involved in the upcoming 2023/2024 season that the winner of the elite league will receive a mouth-watering price money of N150m. The said amount is higher than the N100m given to the winner of the 2022/2023 season, Enyimba International FC of Aba by GTI.
GTI/TNFF Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, gave this reassuring word in a press statement made available to sports journalists in Lagos on Friday.
He revealed that the company was stunned by some false reports making the rounds on social media distorting information and facts that there was no definite figure for the price money in the upcoming season which is contrary to the development of the elite league.
“This is contrary to the earlier clarification from the GMD of GTI, Abubakar Lawal in late July that GTI has upgraded the price money to N150m from the earlier N100m given to the winner last season,” Ekejiuba stated with a tinge of regret.
The development of a league is a gradual process and not actualized overnight, so caution must be taken not to frustrate a thriving project that has the potential of taking NPFL to lofty heights. NPFL deserves every support it needs now to become a thriving transparent league.
“On the issue of the OTT Live streaming of NPFL matches in the upcoming season, GTI is delighted with what Propel Sports Africa has so far done in the past few weeks by deploying and training young Nigerians nationwide who will be manning these state-of-the-art AI Cameras and the successful testing of these cameras ahead of the new season.
“Therefore, GTI will continue to work closely with the newly inaugurated Board of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye towards a successful and seamless execution of the upcoming season,” Ekejiuba concluded.
Meanwhile,
the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and it’s strategic partners, GTI Assets Management has approved a 30% increase in the indemnity payable to Match Commissioners and Referees that will officiate in the 2023/24 season of the NPFL.
Chairman of the NPFL, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye broke the cheering news to NPFL Media, explaining that the consideration for the increase was based on the general increase in cost of transportation all over the country.
“We are not unaware of the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on transportation and raising the allowance of the Match Officials is the right thing to do”, the League boss explained.
He further disclosed that the increase in the prize money for winners is consistent with pronouncements made at the end of last season, adding, “there will continue to be a progressional raise in the prize money to reflect the financial growth we are working to achieve”.
In a related development, Elegbeleye disclosed that the 20 participating clubs would in no distant time be paid some money as incentive to run their clubs.
“Last season, the clubs received ₦10m each and we are determined to support the clubs again this season with a yet to be disclosed amount of money”, concluded the League helmsman who also is the 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The new season has been slated to start on Saturday, September 9 with a flag off fixture between Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and Plateau United at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, Ibadan.
