The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has identified integrity, transparency and accountability as essential to restoring corporate confidence in the federation and attracting more sponsorship deals.

Ikpeme, in a video shared on social media by Mighty George, said the NFF must improve its public image and rebuild trust among corporate organisations to secure sustainable private-sector investment and reduce its reliance on government funding.

He warned that negative perceptions of the federation could undermine its sponsorship drive, noting that companies would be reluctant to invest in an organisation whose reputation raises concerns.

“The negative perception about the Nigeria Football Federation has been affected by how people and sponsors see us. When we talk about sponsorship, you don't go to a company to talk about it when it itself doesn't have a good picture about the organisation you're talking about,” Ikpeme said.

He stressed that his administration was committed to entrenching integrity, transparency and accountability as part of efforts to rebuild confidence in the federation and strengthen its relationship with the corporate world.

“So, mine is to bring integrity. That's what we will drive at, and we have started. It's integrity, transparency and accountability to get people back to believe in the NFF and, more importantly, the corporate world to believe in the NFF,” he added.

The NFF official also maintained that effective football administration could help the federation meet some of its financial obligations through sponsorships and other commercial opportunities, rather than depending almost entirely on government support.

“Football, if we handle it well, with good perception, we should be able to handle some of our financial responsibility without necessarily waiting for the government for 100 per cent. It doesn't speak well compared to what is obtainable in other countries,” he said.

Ikpeme described the federation’s heavy dependence on government funding as undesirable, emphasising the need to establish a more sustainable financial structure for Nigerian football.

His comments come amid calls for improved governance and stronger commercial partnerships within the country’s football administration. A transparent and accountable system could help the NFF attract new sponsors, expand its revenue streams and improve financial stability.

Ikpeme reiterated that rebuilding trust through sound administration and accountability would be central to the federation’s efforts to regain corporate support and strengthen the financial future of Nigerian football.