A deal to broadcast the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on national radio was penned Thursday with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two organisations in Abuja.

It is a move that stakeholders believe will enhance the coverage and promotion of domestic football across the country.

The agreement will see FRCN provide live match commentary, analysis, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and league officials.

Speaking at the event, NPFL Chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, described the partnership as another landmark partnership for league football in the country.

He said that the collaboration is expected to boost the league’s popularity, attract sponsorships, and enhance fan engagement, ultimately contributing to the growth of professional football in Nigeria.

Research shows that radio has the highest reach in the country and Elegbeleye insists that working with FRCN will bring the NPFL closer to millions of football fans, especially those in rural areas who rely on radio for sports updates.

He said: “Television is what we call direct-to-home. You have to be home to watch television. But with radio, you can be anywhere, on your farmland, in your office, or on the road, and still follow live updates. And know what is going on everywhere in the country and the rest of the world. 

“Our football ecosystem needs this relationship with the Federal Radio Corporation to ensure the entire country listens to our athletes on match days. This will promote the league and boost Nigeria’s football industry.”

He recalled how radio commentary played a key role in the past, helping fans familiarize themselves with local players and clubs.

“Back in the day, people knew our players by name because of live commentary. When you don’t run commentaries, there’s no way fans can recognize footballers. But when a player’s name is mentioned frequently, he becomes well-known.

 “This is crucial for marketing our players, clubs, and the league itself, which is indeed a national asset. I’m proud to say we have achieved a lot in a short time. The Nigerian league is now rated higher than before, and more local players are being included in the national team.”

In his remarks,  the Director-General of FRCN, Mohammed Bulama, reaffirmed the corporation’s dedication to reviving football enthusiasm in Nigeria.

Bulama said: “The history of sports in Nigeria has shown sports as a unifying factor and a catalyst for the overall development of Nigeria and Nigerians. 

“Indeed, the history of sports development in Nigeria, as well as the promotion of national unity cannot be complete without the mention of Radio Nigeria and its iconic sports commentators over the years, who worked hard to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians, immortalized our sporting icons, and put Nigerian sports on the global stage.”

He recalled how radio commentaries boosted stadium attendance and newspaper sales from the 1960s to the 1980s, with many fans even bringing radio sets to the stadium to listen to live analysis.

He added, “Nigerians would often put on their television only for visuals, while muting it to listen to commentaries on radio. This was a period when Radio Nigeria dominated the sports commentary scene, driving national football enthusiasm to unparalleled heights”.

Bulama lamented that the decline in football commentary on radio contributed to the drop in local football’s popularity, as many fans turned their attention to foreign leagues like the English Premier League.

“It is to arrest this decline, and put Nigerian football back on an upward trajectory, that the NPFL and the FRCN are getting back into this strategic partnership, aimed at bringing radio football commentary back.”