By IDNN Sports Desk
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) is moving to seal a new broadcast agreement with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) after the collapse of its multi-billion-naira deal with StarTimes.
The five-year contract, worth ₦6 billion, was signed in 2023 but was terminated just two years in. StarTimes reportedly pulled out due to poor decoder patronage, unsustainable production costs, and weak commercial returns.
NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye confirmed on Thursday that talks with NTA were already advanced.
“We are engaging with the NTA to beam all 10 weekly matches nationwide. Growing football’s economy is central to President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a $1 trillion economy,” Elegbeleye said during a visit to NTA headquarters.
NTA Director-General Rotimi Pedro expressed readiness to collaborate, saying the league’s growth was critical to boosting national sports content.
Before the collapse, NPFL matches were streamed mainly via the NPFL Live app, with limited TV coverage. Fans have long demanded wider access through free-to-air television.
StarTimes had renewed its production partnership with Team33 Production in 2024, but escalating costs reportedly made the deal unsustainable.
“They weren’t getting value. Poor decoder sales and high production costs made the arrangement unworkable,” a source told The PUNCH.
League officials are also in discussions with AfroSports and other platforms, but NTA appears the strongest option due to its nationwide reach.
The 2025/26 season kicked off last week with champions Remo Stars defeating Rivers United in Abeokuta, yet only limited streaming was available.
Observers say a partnership with NTA could revive fan engagement, restore advertisers’ confidence, and finally give Nigerian domestic football the visibility it has lacked for years.
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