The GTI Assets Management and Trust Limited the promoter of The Nigeria Football Fund has said it is committed to building a football academy.
Thus it has called on all interested members of the general public to see the need to invest in the initial public offering to raise N5bn through the issuance of 5,000,000,000 units at N1.00 per unit as a new initiative to promote Nigeria Football.
Speaking recently at a news conference in Lagos, the Executive Director, Fund Management, GTI, Nelson Ine, said TNFF was seeking to build a “Football Economy” within the Nigeria sports ecosystem.
According to him, the package will provide sustainable solutions bedeviling the development of Nigeria Football with focus on the Nigeria Professional Football League clubs.
Ine noted that everyone, particularly low-income earners and football lovers should invest into TNFF at a time a major deal has not been signed that can make the value rise.
“This is the best time to invest because the effort is being made to sign up deals with investors. Once a major deal is signed the value will increase”.
Further commenting on the objective of the funds generated by the public, Ine reiterates that “ we are running a well-defined template that has structured the purpose of all the money raised and it will be difficult for anybody to divert the fund. In addition to that, the custodian of the fund cannot release the fund for any other purpose outside the original objectives which are referees’ allowances, production of the league and other things associated with the league basically”.
Also speaking on the matter, the Group Managing Director of GTI, Abubakar Lawal, advised stakeholders to see the strategic project as a national journey and everyone must take responsibility for its success
“Nigeria is the way it is today because we have not taken responsibility. The duty is not on the politicians to deliver on the future of Nigeria, we are the one to do the thinking, they are there to support it by way of policies and enablement. We are expected to do our bit and then challenge the authority,” he said.
He noted that TNFF’s assets are available for individuals all over the globe to invest money.
Lawal added that his team is engaging FIFA for endorsement which according to him will put Nigeria on the map because they have demonstrated capacity as well as taken responsibility of the journey as an organization.
