The Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Davidson Owumi, has lamented that the league and its clubs are losing millions of naira in sponsorship opportunities due to inadequate and unreliable data from participating clubs, reports NPFL.com.
‎
‎Owumi made the remark on wednesday, 29th July, 2026 while delivering his welcome address at the mandatory seminar/workshop organized for media directors and marketing officers of the 20 NPFL clubs in Enugu.
‎
‎He charged the concerned club representatives to up their game and challenged the management of the clubs to prioritize funding for their media department to be more equipped for the huge task on their shoulders.
‎
‎Owumi stressed that clubs can no longer depend solely on government intervention for funding, urging them to embrace modern marketing strategies and data-driven operations by their media department to attract sponsors and commercial partners.
‎
‎According to him, the NPFL is committed to setting higher standards for club branding and visibility, with a strong emphasis on effective social media presence and digital engagement.
‎
‎”There will be standards, and from the middle of the season, clubs will be expected to adhere to them,” Owumi stated.
‎
‎Earlier, the General Manager of Rangers International, Barrister Amobi Ezeaku, challenged media and marketing officers to view football as a business rather than merely a sporting activity.
‎
‎He urged clubs to improve the availability of their branded souvenirs within their host communities and at strategic locations such as airports to boost visibility and strengthen fan engagement.
‎
‎The seminar, which is part of event preceding the 2026/27 NPFL kickoff was attended by media and marketing representatives of the 20 NPFL clubs, focused on enhancing the commercial value of Nigerian football through improved branding, data management, marketing, and stakeholder engagement.