A British-Nigerian sports journalist – Osasu Obayiuwana – currently in Gabon to cover the 2017 African Cup of Nations has revealed the disturbing reason behind the collapse of the sports sponsorship deal between Nigeria and German sports brand, Puma in 2015.

When the developing sporting deal between the Nigeria Football Federation and the German multinational company, Puma collapsed in April, 2015 during the negotiation stage, the reason was officially attributed to the leadership instability of the football regulating body.

Recent revelations by an international journalist and native of Edo State, Osasu Obayiuwana points at the weighty allegation that corrupt practices among top officials of the NFF could have collapsed the lucrative deal.

The sensitive information was revealed to Mr. Osasu by an unnamed Puma official he met in Gabon for the 2017 AFCON competition. According to the official, Puma was willing to partner with Nigeria but the business deal failed after some helmsmen of the NFF demanded for a whooping 50% of the sporting deal as kickback as against the ethics of the company.

It would be recalled that an official of the Nigeria Football Federation had revealed that Puma rejected to sponsor Nigeria’s national teams before a deal with Nike was signed.

The NFF in April, 2015 sealed a three-year-deal with sports giant Nike after their contract with Adidas expired in December, 2014.

But the NFF marketing committee chairman, Emeka Inyama had revealed that Puma rejected the chance to become the kit sponsors of the country’s national teams.

“Puma turned down the chance to sponsor the Eagles and so it is the right step in the right direction that Nike came in after the Adidas contract ended,” Inyama is quoted to say by the Nation Newspaper.

“Puma’s reluctance may not be far fetched because no reputable organisation wants to partner with you when your administration is not stable. You know the crisis we went through before now, the world is a global village and these things are known world wide.”

Read the exposing tweets of Mr. Osasu as posted earlier today, 17th of January, 2016 about the scandal: