NFF Endorses Nigeria Pitch Awards

The Nigeria Football Federation has given go-ahead to sports consultancy and management company, Matchmakers Consult International, to organize the Nigeria Pitch Awards – an annual awards ceremony for
all categories on the football field.

Matchmakers Consult International, which organized the highly successful two-day FIFA/NFF Players’ Agents Workshop in Lagos last year, also received the approval to organize an international charity
football match and a seminar on ‘Kicking Out Human Trafficking from Football’ on the margin of the awards ceremony.

In its letter of approval, the NFF referred to the successful two-day FIFA/NFF Players’ Agents Workshop organized by the company and said it was looking forward to a truly glamorous Nigeria Football Awards that will fulfill all sectors and stakeholders.

Chief Executive Officer of Matchmakers Consult, Mr. Shina Philips, said: “This is magnificent. We are excited at the opportunity to organize a show-stopping Football Awards that will reward persons in
all playing positions on the field, as well as officials, players’agents, State Governments and the media.

“We are very appreciative of the NFF for giving us this go-ahead and we will strive to do even better than we did for the Players’ Agents Workshop. We will consult all stakeholders and midwife a process that
will give birth to a credible selection and awards programme that will leave no one in doubt about its transparency.

“Already, we are in the process of contracting an international rating agency that will verify and guarantee the transparency and veracity of the entire awards process. Nothing will be taken for granted. Of
course, this awards is NFF’s way of showing appreciation to our numerous footballers and stakeholders, and it is open to players within and outside the country”, explained Philips.

The annual red carpet and glamour show will be preceded by an international seminar on ‘Kicking Human Trafficking Out of Football’, while the international charity match will be held with the support of
international football and human trafficking agencies across the globe.

Some of the football megastars pencilled down for the match are former World Player of the Year and World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane (France), another former World Player of the Year and World Cup winner Ronaldinho (Brazil), former African Player of the Year award winners Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire), Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria), Samuel Eto’O Fils (Cameroon), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria), as well as Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Teko Modise (South Africa) and Joseph Yobo, Captain of Nigeria and the country’s record international player.

The objective of the match is to draw international attention to the problem of human trafficking in football, and proceeds from the gates will be donated to the fight against human trafficking in the game.