Total to sponsor Nigerian basketball leagues with N150m 

By Nurudeen Obalola

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has announced the signing of a five-year deal with Total E&P Nigeria for the sponsorship of the men’s divisions one and two leagues.

The deal is worth N150 million, according to a press release from the NBBF on Tuesday.

The NBBF and Total partnership will run between 2020 and 2025 with Division One and

Division Two receiving N15m each annually to organise and run the leagues.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, was in attendance at the signing ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon. 

NBBF President, Musa Kida, commended the sponsorship by Total E&P which is the first ever partnership with the lower levels of basketball in Nigeria.

“Being satisfied with the concept and organization of the leagues in the past two years, we are very elated that Total E&P Nigeria Limited has now committed to extend their sponsorship arrangement with the NBBF for both competitions under the same framework for another five years (2020-2025),” Kida said.

“Total E&P has also uplifted the NBBF in many spheres since this present board was inaugurated in 2017. For example, in addition to financial and related support to the NBBF, Total was the first corporate body to receive the men and women after their 2017 AfroBasket heroics.

“It is also on record that Total contributed to D’Tigers becoming the first country in the world to qualify for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China after which Nigeria hosted two windows during the qualifiers.”

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Total E&P Nigeria, Mike Sangster, said: “The growth trajectory of Nigerian basketball since the initial agreement was signed two years ago has proved to us that our decision to identify with the body was not misplaced. Indeed, we are particularly proud that one driver of the successes that has given Nigerian basketball the magnetic appeal it has today, is our Deputy Managing Director (Deepwater), Engineer Ahmadu-Kida.

“Nigerian grassroots basketball has been energised and repositioned with the Total sponsored Division 1 and 2 domestic leagues. The leagues have been expanded under a new format to enable over 150 teams to participate.”

Dare commended the NBBF and said the latest partnership is in line with the government’s plan for sports development which involves public and private partnership. 

“The signing of this MoU demonstrates once again the goodwill and corporate social responsibility of Total E&P Nigeria in identifying with basketball development in our country. This is transformational,” the minister said.

“I must state here that the government is more than ever determined to provide a conducive atmosphere to stimulate corporate involvement in sports development in the country. I commend Total E&P Nigeria Limited for sponsoring the National Divisions 1 & 2 Men’s Basketball Leagues, as this is phenomenal.”