NFF Unveils Coca-Cola as the Official Soft Drink and Co-Sponsor of the Nigeria National Football Teams

L-R: Georgios Polymenakos ,Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company at the Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Gernot Rohr, The Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Mr Amaju Pinnick, The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, representing Solomon Dalung, Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports Development, Bhupendra Suri, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, at the Coca-Cola, NFF Partnership Press Conference where Coca-Cola was unveiled as the official soft drink of the Super Eagles and all other Nigeria National Football Teams that held at Eko Hotel.

Leading beverage company, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, has announced their partnership with Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the Official Soft Drink Company and Sponsor of all the Nigeria National Football teams. The event which took place at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos, was also an opportunity for the NFF to unveil the 2-year contract extension for Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr as well as reveal entire programme of the Super Eagles ahead of the World Cup in Russia later this summer.

Shehu Dikko, NFF’s 2nd Vice-President and Chairman of the NFF Marketing, Sponsoring and TV Rights Committee, said Coca-Cola is a globally recognized brand that is loved by the Nigerian youth who are also passionate lovers of football, and insisted that the partnership will create a fusion that will project the game of football particularly as the 2018 FIFA World Cup approaches. Dikko further stated that the NFF are hugely delighted that the partnership with Coca-Cola is long –term, which underscores the commitment of both parties to work together for a mutually beneficial relationship that would surely take Nigerian Football to the next level. The partnership will surely be of benefit not just to the National Teams but indeed the Leagues.
Mr Cletus Onyebuoha, Head of Strategic Marketing (Sparkling) at Cola-Cola’s West Africa Business Unit, comprising 33 countries with 45% Africa population, said: “We are proud and excited to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation as the main sponsor of all the Nigeria National Football teams.”
Historically, Coca-Cola has always been in the forefront of corporate support for the development of football in Nigeria.  This is evident in the huge funds committed yearly to Copa-Coca-Cola Under-15 secondary school national football competition which culminates in scholarships for players of winning schools as well as sponsoring the best players to international soccer camps.
Bhupendra Suri – Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria said, “The sponsorship of the Nigeria National Football teams is a further demonstration of Coca-Cola’s commitment to football in Nigeria at all levels and also support for communities where we operate; which then allows Coca-Cola to continue delighting the Nigeria consumer.”

L-R: Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, representing Solomon Dalung, Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports Development; Bhupendra Suri, MD, Coca-Cola Nigeria; Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles Technical Adviser; and Georgios Polymenakos, MD, Nigeria Bottling Company, at the Coca-Cola Nigeria/NFF Partnership Press Conference where Coca-Cola was unveiled as the Official Soft Drink of the Super Eagles and all other Nigeria National Football Teams, on Wednesday 17 January 2018, at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

L-R: Bhupendra Suri, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited; Cletus Onyebuoha, ‎Head of Strategic Marketing, Sparkling West Africa BU, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Gernot Rohr, The Super Eagles Technical Adviser and Georgios Polymenakos, Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company at the Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited at the Coca-Cola NFF Partnership Press Conference where Coca-Cola was unveiled as the official soft drink of the Super Eagles and all other Nigeria National Football Teams that held at Eko Hotel.

L-R: Georgios Polymenakos, Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company; Bhupendra Suri, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited; Aisha Falode, Chairman of Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), Shade Morgan, ‎Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Nigerian Bottling Company; Amaka Onyemelukwe, Manager Public Affairs & Communications, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited at the Coca-Cola NFF Partnership Press Conference where Coca-Cola was unveiled as the official soft drink of the Super Eagles and all other Nigeria National Football Teams that held at Eko Hotel.

L-R: Amaju Pinnick, President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF); Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports Development, representing Solomon Dalung, Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports Development; Bhupendra Suri, MD, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited; and Georgios Polymenakos, MD, Nigeria Bottling Company; at the Coca-Cola Nigeria/NFF Partnership Press Conference where Coca-Cola was unveiled as the Official Soft Drink of the Super Eagles and all other Nigeria National Football Teams, on Wednesday 17 January 2018 at Eko Hotel, Lagos

Georgios Polymenakos, Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company also said, “Everyone knows that Coca-Cola is the official global partner of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.  It is only fitting that we are also the Official Soft Drink and Sponsor of the Nigeria Super Eagles and all the other national football teams.”
Speaking at the event, The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Pinnick said: “We are happy that Coca-Cola has come on board to support the great work we are doing with our national football teams. Coca-Cola is giant in football globally and the official partner of FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. So we are proud to partner with them at local levels and excitedly looking forward to working with them.”
“It is exciting that Coca-Cola has chosen to come into sponsorship of the Nigeria National Teams at a time that we all are committed to the mission of achieving the best –ever outing for Nigeria (and Africa) at the FIFA World Cup finals, and to take the other teams to the next level while building a sustainable football culture for our country.”
Mr. Olusola Adesola, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports representing the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports was in attendance to witness this remarkable partnership. Mr Adesola conveyed the Honourable Minister’s warmest greetings and applauded Coca-Cola, a globally-recognized brand loved by the Nigerian Youths on the partnership. It is his believe that this will create a fusion that will project the game of football particularly as the 2018 FIFA World Cup approaches.

At the event, the Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, was also acknowledged for his fantastic performance especially through the management of the team during the FIFA 2018 qualifying match competitions where they excelled unbeaten. Rohr’s contract was given a 2-year extension. The super Eagles Coach, who expressed his joy for the commendation and contract extension, was particularly elated for the partnership between Coca-Cola and the NFF saying that it was a great move for the advancement of Football in Nigeria.
Coca-Cola will be represented as the official soft drink Company for the Football teams of Nigeria which include The National team (Super Eagles), National U23 (The Dream Team), National Under 20 Team (The Flying Eagles), National Under 17 Team (The Golden Eaglets), National Under 15 team (The Future Eagles), National Beach Football Eagles (The SuperSand Eagles), The National Futsal team, The National Women Team (The Super Falcons), National Female U20 Team (The Falconets), The National Women U17 team (The Flamingos).

About Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited
Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, an active citizen of the community and one of the most respected companies in Nigeria, is a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands.  Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company’s portfolio includes 20 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Vitamin Water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks.

Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.9 billion servings a day.  With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 System associates.

January 23, 2018