An enlightenment campaign to support the Federal Government’s drive to generate revenue through an expanded base of tax payers’ population is to be launched by the League Management Company (LMC) in partnership with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). 

The partnership will see the LMC offer FIRS the NPFL platform to engage the public through message displays on match day perimeter boards, distribution of messages on fliers and use of public address systems at match venues to relay tax education messages. 

Heads of the two organisations, Shehu Dikko of the LMC and Babatunde Fowler of FIRS have already expressed delight at working together on the campaign which they identified as good for football and the taxpaying fans. 

Dikko recalled that it has been the tradition of the LMC to promote social causes on the platform of the NPFL which has a physically present captive audience of over 200,000 at match venues every match day and millions of others who follow on live television and radio broadcasts as well as on new media platforms.

“This campaign is the third in the series we began in the 2013/14 season when we partnered the Federal Government and United Nations to promote awareness for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. This was followed by the message of ‘One Nation, One Goal, One Game’ that we launched to promote social cohesion, unity and patriotism,” stated the LMC Chairman.

He said the new campaign is a support to the Federal government’s drive for economic recovery following last year’s recession.

“Football can only thrive better in a strong economy and we at the LMC recognise that payment of tax is a major source of revenue for the nation and this cannot be attained with the current low level of tax compliance. So, we are offering our growing NPFL platform to FIRS for their public enlightenment campaign aimed at making Nigerians move from tax enforcement to tax compliance,” Dikko explained.

Fowler said the organisation is delighted by the enormous benefit inherent in supporting the NPFL and use the platform to engage Nigerians because as he put it, “Nigerians are passionate about football”

“We are delighted to support the game which our passionate tax payers love. Through the partnership with the NPFL for this project, we can interact with the fans as they enjoy the matches,” Fowler said.

The campaign will run for the remainder of the 2016/17 NPFL season at the end of which the two organisations will explore possibilities of consummating a long term mutually beneficial relationship.