Gusau Indicts Pinnick Over Nike 'Slave' Deals

Gusau Indicts Pinnick Over Nike 'Slave' Deals 

By Niyi Busari

Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has criticised the federation’s long-standing kit agreement with Nike, describing the financial terms as increasingly unsustainable and revealing that the NFF had to purchase additional jerseys for national teams to meet their requirements, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Speaking emotionally at a press conference in Abuja, Gusau disclosed that the agreement signed with Nike in 2015 provided the NFF with an annual cash payment of $500,000 and kits valued at $1 million.

According to him, the arrangement remained on the same financial terms for 11 years, despite the significant increase in the cost of football administration, international competitions and equipment during the period.

Gusau questioned the value of receiving the same $500,000 and $1 million worth of kits in 2026 as was provided when the agreement was signed in 2015.

“There is something that is very worrisome. There was a contract we had with Nike. All of you are aware we had an agreement with Nike,” Gusau said.

He explained that the NFF's kit requirements had grown considerably, making the annual allocation insufficient to cater for the various national teams participating in international competitions.

“Unlike before, when you could call any NFF staff or the president and he would give you a jersey, things have changed,” he said.

“As president of the NFF, if you come to my house now, I can't bring out a set of jerseys because we had a contract that was signed for 11 years on the same terms—$500,000 and $1 million worth of kits.”

Gusau said the unchanged value of the agreement had effectively eroded its worth over time.

“If somebody is giving you $500,000 in 2015 and still giving you the same amount in 2026, it is like having nothing. And somebody gives you kits worth $1 million in 2015 and now still gives you the same,” he added.

NFF Bought Additional Kits for National Teams

The former NFF president revealed that the federation had been compelled to purchase additional playing kits because the volume supplied under the Nike agreement was insufficient to meet the demands of Nigeria's numerous national teams.

He specifically cited the Falconets, who are currently in Poland for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, as an example.

“As I am talking to you, even the girls, the Falconets, who travelled to Poland for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, we have to buy jerseys for them because the $1 million worth of jerseys is not enough to serve them throughout the competition,” Gusau said.

He added that the NFF had similarly purchased kits for other national teams, including the Super Eagles and Super Falcons, whenever they travelled for international competitions.

“We bought kits for all the national teams, from the Super Eagles to the Super Falcons, whenever they are going for international competitions,” he said.

NFF Sought Better Commercial Terms

Gusau said the situation prompted the NFF to examine kit sponsorship arrangements involving other major African football nations.

“We realised that we can't continue like this,” he said, adding that inquiries conducted across the continent showed that some countries with comparable or even greater football profiles were receiving significantly better commercial packages.

According to him, the NFF subsequently opened discussions with Nike in an attempt to improve the terms of the agreement, but the negotiations failed to produce an arrangement acceptable to the federation.

“This started when we engaged Nike, but we couldn't reach an agreement because whatever option they brought, we were not satisfied with it,” Gusau explained.

The NFF then began exploring alternatives and eventually entered discussions with several international sportswear companies.

“But finally, we went ahead and looked for other partners. At the end of the day, we contacted Adidas and others, and we were able to get a good sponsorship deal with Adidas,” he said.

Gusau explained that the NFF did not immediately announce the new arrangement because its existing contract with Nike was still in force.

“The only reason why we didn't make it known before now is because we are still in contract with Nike, though we had the privilege to discuss with other kit sponsors,” he said.

The comments provide an insight into the commercial considerations behind the NFF's decision to seek a new technical sponsor and underscore the growing importance of securing kit agreements that reflect the increasing financial demands of managing Nigeria's numerous national teams.

The exact financial and material terms of the reported Adidas agreement were not disclosed by Gusau in his remarks.

NFF signed the Nike deal in 2015 during former president Amaju Pinnick era.