IT News Nigeria:
Nike and Nigeria announced a long-term Extension of Partnership For Four + Four Years Until 2026 World Cup.
The new Nike Nigeria kit deal will initially run for four years, but an automatic renewal clause will take the collaboration through to the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nike became Nigeria’s kit supplier in April 2015 when they replaced Adidas.
The financial terms of the agreement, which now also include Nigeria’s women’s team, have not been confirmed. NFF President Amaju Pinnick described it as an “improved contract”.
“This four plus four deal is the best any African country has ever had with Nike,” said Pinnick, speaking to members of the media. “I can say it is about a hundred percent better than anything else.”
The NFF President added: “A few months after we came on board for our first term in office, I was told that we needed to buy jerseys for the national team to play a football match. That was how bad it was, because the kit sponsor at that time terminated the contract. So, I made contacts with some highly connected persons and worked hard to convince Nike to come on board. We were coming from a weak position but they made the agreement flexible for us.
“We are happy we teamed up with Nike because after we qualified and participated at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, the company was the one chasing us for a new improved contract,”
Tina Salminen, Nike’s Regional Sports Marketing Director for Africa, added: “[The World Cup kit] has remained a source of reference in Nike meetings and events ever since. “Nigeria is one of the big teams in world football and we are happy to get them to sign a long-term contract.”
Shehu Dikki, the NFF’s Vice President and Head of Marketing, added: “We are very happy because this new agreement comes with good money on an annual basis, more supplies, improved qualification bonus for our teams, door-to-door delivery of kits, royalty for the NFF on jerseys sold and it has now been expanded to include our women national teams.”
