…Says transparency, accountability and proper financial management are critical to league’s sustainability
GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited is strengthening the financial structure of the EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) through improved accountability, transparency and financial management systems, Executive Director of the firm, Nelson Ine, has disclosed.
Ine said GTI’s involvement in the league is focused on providing financial and advisory support to the NPFL board and management, with the objective of building a sustainable structure that can attract investors, retain commercial partners and guarantee the effective management of league resources.
Speaking during an interview with sports broadcasters Charles Anazodo and Tunde Koiki, the GTI executive explained that the firm identified weaknesses in financial management, irregular league calendars and a lack of transparency as some of the major factors that previously discouraged brands from investing in Nigerian football.
He stressed that restoring confidence in the league’s financial operations was central to GTI’s intervention.
“For brands, they want accountability. They want transparency. You must have a proper financial management system in place. Your corporate governance structure must be right,” Ine said.
He explained that GTI works with the NPFL board in an advisory capacity, alongside providing funding support to ensure that critical operational and administrative requirements are met.
Clarifying the company’s role, Ine insisted that GTI does not run the league but supports the board and management in managing specific aspects of its operations, particularly financial administration.
One of the key measures introduced, according to him, is a centralised custodial account through which all funds generated by the league are received and managed.
“Every fund that comes into the league comes into a centralised custodial account that is managed on behalf of the league. Every money that comes into this league is accounted for, and every expenditure of the league is also accounted for,” he explained.
Ine said the arrangement ensures that league expenditures are properly monitored before disbursement, providing commercial partners with greater confidence that their investments are being managed responsibly.
He also disclosed that GTI had sustained payments to referees and vendors without outstanding obligations during its five-year period of working with the NPFL.
According to him, referees’ indemnities are paid based on approved templates provided by the NFF and its referees committee, with provisions also made for transportation, feeding and accommodation.
He added that the financial framework established through the collaboration has helped guarantee continuity in the league’s commercial operations, even following the dissolution of the previous NPFL board.
Ine cited the continued presence of EuroMatch as a partner as evidence of the importance of establishing sustainable financial and administrative systems that can survive changes in leadership.
Beyond financial management, he identified the regularisation of the league calendar as another important achievement, noting that the August-to-May schedule aligns the NPFL with the international football calendar and provides greater certainty for clubs, sponsors and other stakeholders.
He also highlighted improvements in prize money, security arrangements, crowd control and engagement with clubs as part of the broader efforts to strengthen the league’s commercial value.
Ine maintained that financial discipline and transparency must remain at the heart of the NPFL’s development, arguing that sustainable investment in Nigerian football depends on the confidence of those providing the resources.
He noted that while the league still faces challenges, particularly in club infrastructure, player welfare and talent retention, establishing a reliable financial structure is essential to unlocking its commercial and sporting potential.
