Moniepoint unveils varsity five-a-side football tourney

Moniepoint Microfinance Bank has officially launched the inaugural edition of the Monieball, which is Nigeria's first national university five-a-side football competition, scheduled to take place from October 8 to 31.

This initiative aims to unite eight universities in a month-long competition that will run from October 8th to October 31st, 2025.

The tournament will feature eight universities competing in 16 matches over eight matchdays across three host campuses. It will commence with the group stages (in a round-robin format), followed by semi-finals (knockout), spanning three weeks on campus, culminating in the championship final and third-place playoff in Lagos on Friday, October 31.

Participating universities include the University of Ilorin (the host), the University of Calabar, and the University of Ibadan in Group A, while Group B will consist of Abia State University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.

Each match will consist of two halves, each lasting 25 minutes, with a five-minute halftime break. Teams will consist of 10 players (four outfield players, one goalkeeper, and five substitutes) along with five team officials.

In a discussion with journalists in Lagos regarding the purpose of the tournament, Anastasia Igbokidi, Head of Brand at Moniepoint, stated that the initiative aims to create a platform for students to demonstrate their talents while also connecting them with opportunities beyond the realm of football.

“Progress looks different to everyone, and as the default financial institution that is made of the progress of Nigerians, we want Monieball to be more than a tournament – a catalyst for dreams, a unifying platform for talent, and an investment in the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

The Acting President of NUGA, Dr Ajibua Alayode, also Sports Director at Federal University of Technology, Akure, highlighted NUGA’s commitment to supporting sporting initiatives while expressing optimism that the partnership between NUGA and Moniepoint would stand the test of time.

“It’s an epoch-making day. It’s a day where creativity meets sports management. I’m excited to witness it. I believe this relationship is going to last very long. Moniepoint’s investment demonstrates a genuine commitment to grassroots sports, and their professional approach, in line with global standards, will undoubtedly elevate the university sports experience in Nigeria,” he said.

It will be recalled that Moniepoint MFB recently announced Victor Osimhen, whose story of resilience and achievement mirrors the brand’s campaign message as an ambassador.

On his part, CEO at Perform Agency, Olamide Adeyemo, promised that participating students would all be under the age of 25 years and adequate security has been put in place to ensure a hitch-free competition, while promising that during the competition, officials and scouts from the Nigeria Premier Football League would be present to scout for talent.