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The second edition of the UNITECOL Cup will begin on Monday, May 18 in Lagos, with the winner winning a high-profile exhibition match against Sporting Lagos of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) as part of the tournament’s rewards package.
The university football competition will feature six tertiary institutions across Lagos State including Lagos State University, University of Lagos, Lagos State University of Education, Yaba College of Technology, Federal College of Education and Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology.
Speaking to Sportxvibe.com.ng, the competition director, Samuel Bamisebi, said the initiative was created to revive the declining culture of university football in Nigeria and at the same time create a direct path for student-athletes to professional football.
“The objectives of the competition are quite simple. We want to harness young talent from universities and give them a path to professional football,” Bamisebi said.
“Hopefully one day they will end up on the national team because we miss the days when players could go from universities to national teams. College sports are starting to lose their place and we want to get back to those days.”
According to Bamisebi, the tournament was intentionally designed to unify the three main categories of tertiary institutions in Nigeria under one football structure.
“The schools involved are based in Lagos. The competition is basically for the three levels of institutions in Nigeria. ‘Uni’ means universities, ‘Tech’ means polytechnics, while ‘Co’ represents university colleges. This is how UNITECOL was formed,” he said.
“Universities already have NUGA, polytechnics have NIPOGA and universities have their own competitions. What we are trying to do is bring them all together officially under one roof for the first time.”
Bamisebi added that the organizers are starting with Lagos-based institutions as part of a long-term expansion strategy that could eventually extend to all geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
“We are starting in Lagos, trying to develop competition, gain recognition and attract brands. Once people see the quality and talent within university football, more support will come and we will be able to expand to the south-west, east and north regions,” he said.
One of the highlights of the competition is the partnership with Sporting Lagos, which will give the tournament champions the opportunity to play against the NPFL team in what the organizers believe will serve as an important scouting platform.
“We have a partnership with Sporting Lagos Football Club, so the winning team will have the opportunity to play against them,” Bamisebi revealed.
“It is also an opportunity for exploration because coaches and football stakeholders will be present during the tournament.”
He revealed that several prominent football personalities, including Daniel Ogunmodede and Rangers International coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, along with officials from the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Lagos State Government, are expected to attend the competition.
Beyond on-field competition, organizers believe the tournament will offer long-term exposure for participating student-athletes through livestreams and digital streaming platforms.
“The matches will be broadcast live on YouTube and televised on cable television. This gives visibility to the players,” Bamisebi said.
“They can download game clips, create personal highlights and send them to scouts. There are numerous opportunities available to student-athletes.”
Bamisebi also called for strategic partnerships and collaborations that can add value to the competition and contribute to the development of grassroots football in Nigeria.
“We cannot do it alone. We are doing everything possible to give the competition a strong identity, but there is still room for improvement. We are open to collaborations that really add value to the competition and the development of university football,” he said.
