Noel Okorougo, NFA’s NIKE Facilitator, Passes on

Noel Chukwuemeka Okorougo, the marketer who helped the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) broker the first NIKE contract in the early 1990s passed on last Wednesday, June 8  in Geneva, Switzerland. He succumbed to death from his long battle with cancer.

Okorougo would have celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas day if he had made it till December 2022.

Okorougo’s long associate and now Saturday Vanguard Editor, Onochie Anibeze broke the news of Okorougo’s death to THISDAY.

“Duro, we have lost a good friend, Noel (Okorougo) is gone. He lost the battle with cancer. So sad,” mourned the veteran Vanguard editor yesterday.

Noel’s bother, Ujunwa Okorougo described the late sports financier and marketer as “a mentor, brother and friend to many who will sorely miss him,” Okorougo was a Nigerian sports ambassador, a position the federal government bestowed on him for his contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

He was named sports ambassador along with Segun Odegbami by then Sports Minister, Emeka Omeruah who is also now deceased.

Shortly after the USA ’94 World Cup where Nigeria emerged joint best entertaining team with Brazil and placed 5th in the world FIFA ranking, Noel marketed Nigeria to Nike who signed a huge contract as Nigeria’s kit sponsors. The then NFA earned huge money from the contract. 

He facilitated the supply of quality NIKE kits to all Nigerian national football teams. Most the designs were outstanding and made Nigerian teams appeared in dazzling and flying colours in their matches especially at the Atlanta Olympic Games where the soccer team won gold, 24 hours after Chioma Ajunwa won Nigeria’s  first ever Olympic gold medal. 

Noel Okorougo is survived by wife, Nafisa, Children; Terrence, Jasmine, Emmanuel and Shawn. Noel was an Ozo title holder from Isuikwuato in Abia State. No Burial arrangements has been announced by his family yet.