United Nigeria Airlines Ndigboamaka Traders’ Cup 3.0 kicks off Oct. 8, to unite 58 Lagos markets

By Ranmilowo Ojalumo    -The third edition of the United Nigeria Airlines Ndigboamaka Progressive Traders’ Cup will kick off on October 8 in Lagos, bringing together traders from 58 major markets

The six-week football tournament aimed at promoting unity, youth engagement, healthy living and stronger relationships among members of the trading community.

The tournament, organised by the Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association in partnership with United Nigeria Airlines Limited, will feature 12 teams representing the 58 affiliated markets, with the grand finale scheduled for November 14 in Lagos.

The President of Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association, Comrade Chinedu Ukatu, disclosed this at a press briefing to formally unveiling the 3.0 edition of the competition, saying the tournament would provide an opportunity for the association’s members to come together outside their usual commercial environment.

Ndigboamaka, according to Ukatu, is the umbrella body representing more than 58 major market associations in Lagos, with over two million traders, adding that its mandate goes beyond commerce to include the promotion of unity, peace, welfare, employment and sustainable progress among its members and the wider trading community.

He said the association deliberately chose football as the vehicle for the initiative because of its ability to bring people of different backgrounds together, while providing constructive engagement for youths and encouraging physical fitness among traders and their families.

“We are bringing our 58 affiliated markets together, not in the marketplace this time around, but on the football pitch, under one umbrella of friendship, sportsmanship and unity,” Ukatu said, adding that the tournament would strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and solidarity among the various markets, including Alaba Trade Fair, Ladipo, Computer Village, Balogun, Lagos Island and other affiliated markets.

Ukatu said United Nigeria Airlines, which he described as a proudly Nigerian airline, had accepted to serve as the title sponsor of the tournament, noting that the partnership reflected the airline’s commitment to grassroots development, youth engagement and the informal sector.

He said the tournament, tagged “United Nigeria Airlines Ndigboamaka Traders’ Cup,” would run for six weeks, with trophies, medals and cash prizes awaiting winners at the grand finale. The organisers are also expecting more than 500,000 direct spectators during the tournament, while the competition is projected to reach over five million people through radio and social media platforms.

According to Ukatu, the initiative goes beyond football, as it would also provide opportunities for talent discovery, youth empowerment, networking and community development. “This is more than a football competition. It is a celebration of unity, enterprise, youth development, friendship and healthy living,” he said.

Ukatu said the association believed that many young men and women within the markets possessed considerable sporting talents but needed the right opportunities and platforms to showcase them. “We believe that within our markets are young men and women with remarkable talents who only need the right opportunities and platforms to shine,” the president said.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Sales Manager, United Nigeria Airlines, Nnonyelum Ibemere, said the airline’s decision to partner with Ndigboamaka was consistent with its mission of connecting people, communities and businesses.

Ibemere said the tournament embodied the values of unity, progress, talent development and healthy living, which were central to the airline’s vision. “At United, our mission has always been to unite people and communities and businesses. This tournament embodies unity and progress. It engages talent, focuses on healthy living, unity and progress, and those are the things that brought our attention to it,” she said.

She described the trading community as an important engine of the Nigerian economy, stressing that the partnership would also provide an opportunity to deepen the airline’s engagement with traders across the country.

“The trading community in Nigeria is an engine room of the economy. That’s basically why we are interested in it,” Ibemere said, adding that United Nigeria Airlines was interested in initiatives capable of connecting people, communities and businesses, adding that the airline would continue to support laudable projects across the country.

Ibemere also stressed that the airline’s corporate social responsibility initiatives were not targeted at any particular ethnic group, noting that the company’s broader objective was to promote unity across Nigeria.

“At United Nigeria Airlines, we are not about ethnicity. We are about uniting the whole country. In fact, we will unite the whole world very soon because we are going international,” she said, adding that the airline had already commenced regional flights and was working towards expanding its operations internationally.

She said the airline had also undertaken corporate social responsibility initiatives in other parts of the country, including Ekiti State, stressing that its support was based on the value and impact of the projects rather than ethnicity.

“So far as it is a laudable project, United Nigeria will agree to it because it is our vision. Our vision is about unifying the whole states, country, tapping into opportunities that are there and making it a success,” she said.

On the commencement of the competition, Ukatu confirmed that the opening ceremony would take place on October 8 at the Union Bank football pitch, Bode Thomas, Susulere, while the grand finale would be held on November 14. He encouraged everyone to visit the venue from October to watch the football matches for free.

According to him, the 12 participating teams emerged after preliminary activities involving the 58 affiliated markets and that the full match fixtures would be made public by the organisers. He also disclosed that the association was seeking additional branding and co-sponsorship from government agencies, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to further strengthen the tournament.

He said the association was partnering with the Lagos State Sports Commission and other stakeholders, while prominent former football personalities were expected to participate in the grand finale.

He recalled that the first edition of the tournament attracted notable football personalities, including former Chairman of the Football Supporters Association of Nigeria, Rafiu Ladipo, and former international footballer Kalu Nwankwo, saying more personalities would be brought on board for the 2026 edition.

Ukatu explained that participation was open to genuine traders within the affiliated markets, provided they were physically fit and could be properly identified by their respective market chairmen. “This is a tournament we are playing within ourselves. We are entertaining ourselves. But you must be identified by your market chairman. We have to identify your shop as a trader to avoid external people trying to come and spoil what we are doing,” he said.

The central message of the tournament according to Ukatu is “unity of purpose,” linking the initiative to the philosophy of United Nigeria Airlines. “When United Nigeria said we are flying to unite and flying to connect, we are doing business to unite and doing business to connect,” Ukatu said.

He added that the partnership between the airline and the traders’ association reflected the shared objective of connecting people and businesses.

“When you want to come and buy from me, I don’t want to know whether you are European or whatever. When you come to me, you come to do business. They are flying to connect. We are doing business to connect. So, we have two things together and all of them are married together—unity and progress,” he said.

Ukatu called on market leaders, corporate organisations, government institutions, sports lovers and other stakeholders to support the tournament, stressing that its impact would extend beyond the football pitch to youth development, networking, healthy living and stronger bonds among the trading community.