The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says it now focuses more on the integrity of brands before signing partnership agreements.
The president of the federation, Ibrahim Gusau, stated that the quest to ensure the integrity of companies was responsible for the delay in finding first sponsors since he won his election in September 2022.
On Thursday last week, the NFF unveiled a N200 million partnership deal for the Federations Cup with Tingo Media.
Gusau said the winners of this year's Cup will receive prize money, unlike previous editions of the tournament.
"We don't want to engage ourselves with companies that would make us go up and down tomorrow, because that is why we are where we are now,” Gusau said of the inability of partnership sponsors to fulfill their financial obligations.
“A lot of companies have defaulted on their payments with the NFF,” he added.
"That's why we are owing people. So, we try to be very careful with whatever engagement we have with any company.
“So, that is what took us a long period to get a deal done. And by the grace of God, more will be coming and they will be for the good of Nigerian football.”
The NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi explained that the president had ordered the secretariat to conduct due diligence on the new sponsors which was something that took a lot of time.
The NFF presently owes some national team coaches.
