Five Months On, NFF Yet to Pay ₦50m Prize to Kwara United As New Registration Commences

Five Months On, NFF Yet to Pay ₦50m Prize to Kwara United As New Registration Commences 

By Admin 

Five months after Kwara United won the 2025 President Federation Cup, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has yet to disburse the ₦50 million prize money promised to the champions, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Kwara United secured the men’s title on June 28, 2025, defeating second-tier Abakaliki FC 4–3 on penalties at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan. On the same day, Rivers Angels claimed their 10th women’s title, reinforcing their dominance in the competition.

Despite repeated expectations, the champions have still not received their prize money. This delay has drawn criticism, especially as the NFF recently announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Federation Cup, without publicly addressing the outstanding payment to the 2025 winners. Observers say the move sends “the wrong message” to clubs and fans regarding transparency and accountability.

The funding gap has been linked to the collapse of the federation’s partnership with former sponsor Tingo, which was dropped after failing to meet key contractual obligations including payment to the previous champions, Bayelsa United.

“Tingo is no longer the sponsor of the Federation Cup. They promised so much and delivered nothing,” said top NFF official, who confirmed that the arrears owed Kwara United stem from the sponsorship failure.

Meanwhile, GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, already a strategic partner of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) through its Nigeria Football Fund (TNF), is seeking a new sponsor to support the tournament and restore financial stability.

GTI has played a central role in efforts to reposition the NPFL by injecting funds and implementing management reforms aimed at improving the league’s commercial appeal. The expectation is that a new Federation Cup sponsor will emerge through similar processes.