The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has entered a new phase in its digital transformation with the unveiling of a landmark YouTube live-streaming partnership with Murphy Ben International (MBI).
The agreement, formally announced at a signing ceremony, is aimed at bringing Nigerian domestic league football closer to supporters by making selected matches available through the official NPFL YouTube channel.
The new arrangement will allow fans to follow games on mobile phones, television sets, laptops and other internet-enabled devices, while also creating fresh opportunities for digital broadcasting, storytelling, fan engagement and commercial growth.
NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, described the partnership as a significant milestone in the league’s efforts to make its matches more accessible to supporters around the world.
For years, NPFL followers have repeatedly asked a familiar question: “Where can we watch the NPFL?”
According to Elegbeleye, that challenge is now being addressed.
“There will be no more excuses of ‘I didn’t see the match,’” Elegbeleye declared, while announcing that fans will have access to selected live matches and delayed broadcasts through the official NPFL YouTube channel, free of charge and in HD.
The partnership followed several weeks of discussions between the NPFL and Murphy Ben International, including meetings in Abuja and a visit by NPFL officials to MBI’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
The two organisations subsequently agreed to establish a digital broadcasting platform capable of exposing Nigerian league football to a broader audience both locally and internationally.
Elegbeleye stressed that the agreement is not merely about streaming matches, but also about creating a stronger commercial and digital ecosystem around the NPFL.
He noted that the initiative could generate additional revenue opportunities, improve the visibility of NPFL clubs and provide players with greater exposure to potential international audiences.
The NPFL chairman also said the league deliberately sought a partner whose vision aligned with its ambition to modernise and internationalise Nigerian football.
He drew a comparison with the success of Nigerian music and Nollywood, which have used digital platforms to reach audiences across the globe.
“MBI, through its digital and technical expertise, will support the NPFL with improved production and distribution capabilities, while the partnership will also focus on telling the stories behind the league.”
Speaking during the ceremony, Chairman of Murphy Ben International, Murphy Anawana, described the agreement as an opportunity to showcase Nigerian domestic football to a worldwide audience.
Anawana assured the NPFL delegation that MBI would deploy its production capabilities and extensive social media reach to help position the NPFL as the leading domestic football league in Africa.
“This partnership will focus on digital broadcasting, storytelling, promotion, fan engagement and commercial partnerships, creating an opportunity to tell the stories of the NPFL, its clubs, players, coaches and supporters to a much larger audience and let the world know what NPFL has been doing.”
The partnership comes at a crucial time for the NPFL, which has produced generations of talented players and successful clubs but has faced persistent challenges in making its matches and stories consistently accessible to a global audience.
With the new digital arrangement, selected NPFL matches will receive live coverage, while delayed broadcasts of multiple games will also be made available on the league’s official YouTube channel on matchdays.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the NPFL’s digital presence, improve fan interaction and provide clubs and players with a wider platform as the league seeks to build a more commercially attractive and globally visible domestic football product.
