NFF President Demands Equal Sponsorship for Women’s League as Men Secure ₦494m Deal

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Ibrahim Gusau, has called for urgent action to close the sponsorship gap between men’s and women’s football, insisting that female players deserve the same innovative funding models being introduced to the men’s game.

Speaking at the unveiling of betPawa’s ₦494 million Locker Room Bonus (LRB) for the Nigeria National League (NNL), Gusau praised the initiative but warned that the women’s game must not be sidelined.

“When you talk about women’s football in Africa, it is Nigeria. Our girls are the pride of the continent, but they are more vulnerable than the boys. They need this kind of initiative to encourage and sustain them,” Gusau said. “We must bring corporate sponsors into the women’s game because they deserve to benefit just as much as the men.”

The men’s deal vs the women’s reality

Under the new arrangement, every victorious NNL club will receive ₦1.288 million per match, with ₦56,000 sent directly to 20 players and three technical staff through mobile money. Over 292 games in a season, players stand to earn a combined ₦369 million, with an additional ₦100 million to support league operations and ₦8.1 million for end-of-season awards.

By contrast, the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership Super 6 offers a total prize pool of ₦24.5 million, with champions taking home ₦10 million — a stark gap compared to the potential ₦128 million a women’s team could earn under a Locker Room Bonus-style scheme.

Equal opportunities for women’s football

Borah Omary Ndanyungu, Head of Local Marketing and CSR at betPawa, emphasised that gender equity is part of the company’s philosophy.

“Wherever we have launched Locker Room Bonus — in Ghana, Uganda, and elsewhere — women’s teams have received the same per-win rewards as the men. There is no discrimination. For us, it’s about motivating players, professionalising the game, and supporting grassroots sport. Nigeria’s women deserve to enjoy the same benefits,” Ndanyungu said.

Gusau added that bridging the gap was critical to sustaining Nigeria’s dominance in women’s football. “Our female players are talented, resilient, and consistent winners. But without adequate motivation and structures, we cannot sustain that success. They should also walk into their locker rooms and get their alerts instantly after a win. That is how we build equity and strengthen the women’s game.”