Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos yesterday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games, Mr. Derrick David Kentebe, said: “We are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about sports in the country.
“We see opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally . We shall avail ourselves the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigor, passion and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders,” Kentebe assured sports stakeholders at the event.
The agreement, according to Kentebe, will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroots sports development and advance the potentials of special athletes.
He further pledged that: “Yanga Games has the capacity to raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes development, endorsement and sponsorship deals for athletes.”
Kentebe said “ We shall raise about N34 billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country. We shall help to develop grassroot sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raiser and other avenues,” he further assured all.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh, expressed the sports ministry’s total confidence in YangaGames to deliver on the given mandate. “Gone are the era when we depended solely on government to fund sports development. We are partnering YangaGames to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders.We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub sector.”
