The Nigeria Football Federation has issued a demand for the immediate payment of N1 billion in compensation from Airtel Nigeria, accusing the telecommunications giant of ambush marketing involving the Super Eagles during the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
In a move that has stirred controversy within Nigeria’s sports and corporate circles, the NFF said the alleged actions resulted in significant financial losses and reputational damage to the federation and its commercial partners.
According to documents made available to journalists, the federation’s legal representatives have also demanded the immediate removal of the disputed content from Airtel Nigeria’s Instagram page and all other digital platforms, alongside a complete halt to any further publications of a similar nature.
The NFF has further warned that it is prepared to pursue legal action if Airtel fails to comply with the demands.
The dispute stems from a letter issued by Festus Keyamo Chambers on behalf of the NFF and delivered to Airtel Nigeria on Thursday. In the letter, the federation condemned an image shared on Airtel’s verified Instagram account which featured live-action photographs of four Super Eagles players alongside the NFF’s trademarked logo and Airtel’s corporate branding.
The image was reportedly accompanied by the message “We are with you, Eagles!” and the hashtag “#FeelTheConnection,” a move the federation says falsely implied a formal partnership between Airtel Nigeria and the NFF.
The federation argued that the publication constituted misleading advertising designed to create an impression of official affiliation, despite Airtel not being an authorised sponsor of the Super Eagles.
“Your organization is engaging in misleading advertising that suggests an association with the NFF and its affiliates,” the letter stated.
The NFF further alleged that the action was carried out with full knowledge of the federation’s existing sponsorship agreement with a competing telecommunications brand. According to the federation, ... was intended to exploit the goodwill associated with the Super Eagles and capitalise on the team’s AFCON visibility for Airtel’s commercial advantage.
The federation maintained that such conduct undermines its contractual relationships with official sponsors and deprives it of legitimate revenue streams, while unfairly benefiting a non-partner brand.
Describing the development as unacceptable, the NFF confirmed that it has instructed its lawyers to explore all available legal remedies to protect its commercial rights and intellectual property.
As part of its demands, the federation is seeking the immediate takedown of all offending materials, an end to any further ambush marketing activities, and the payment of N1 billion as compensation for lost revenue and damage to its brand integrity.
The standoff is expected to draw widespread attention as Nigeria continues its AFCON campaign, with observers closely watching how the dispute between the country’s football governing body and one of its biggest telecom operators will unfold.