The Nationwide League One (NLO) has unveiled ‘FirstCentral Credit Bureau’ as the sponsor for its maiden 2023 Cup season and Annual General Meeting (AGM) fixed for December 8, 2023.
FirstCentral Credit Bureau Limited, Nigeria’s only independent and first licensed credit bureau will bankroll the maiden NLO Cup designed to celebrate teams that have excelled in the graduation from the State league to NLO U19 and from Youth League to the NLO Division One, including those that have represented NLO at different levels.
The news about FirstCentral Credit Bureau sponsoring the NLO Cup 2023 didn’t come to stakeholders and football fans alike as a surprise as Hon. Silas Agara-led board of Nigeria’s third-tier league since coming on board has hit the ground running, identifying challenges facing the league and proffering solutions to them by way of reforms.
Unveiling FirstCentral Credit Bureau as its sponsor to the press on Wednesday in Abuja, NLO chairman, Hon. Silas Agara, said the various reforms his board had put in place have started yielding positive results and made the NLO a more attractive brand for corporate Nigeria.
He said the FirstCentral Credit Bureau sponsorship covers the NLO Cup scheduled to kick off in Kano and Uyo respectively on November 24, 2023 and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will herald the 2024/25 season kickoff.
The former deputy governor of Nasarawa State also revealed that more partners and sponsors of NLO will be unveiled to the public in due course.
“I believe the various reforms that the new board is proposing to the AGM will make the NLO a more attractive brand to Corporate Nigeria. The reforms are yet to be approved, but due to positive activities from the NLO secretariat, we have been seeing positive changes.
“You will agree with me that the Nationwide League One with over 300 clubs making it the largest in Africa, is a viable brand for corporate organisation and this has brought about our relationship with First Central Credit Bureau.
“The leadership of the NLO has also shown commitment to the growth of grassroot football which has seen a massive increase in the number of participating teams in the NLO from 80 clubs to over 300 clubs cutting across all 36 States of the Federation and FCT, due to our financial prudence with the little resources available.
“The Board can confidently assure Nigerians that with support from top brands such as First Central Credit Bureau, Nigerians will see more positive service delivery from the NLO,” Agara said.
Speaking at the unveiling, First Central Credit Bureau general manager in charge of North, Busola Dansu, said the company was committed toward empowering Nigerian youth and was sponsoring the NLO Cup as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).