Months after returning to profits, Ibom Air, Nigeria’s first sub-nationally owned airline, has sealed a N200m sponsorship deal with Akwa United Football Club, becoming the official shirt sponsor of the state-owned club.
The sponsorship deal was announced at a signing ceremony at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, attended by key stakeholders from the sports community, government officials, and media outlets.
George Uriesi, CEO of Ibom Air, described the partnership as a reflection of the airline’s commitment to supporting the state through impactful community-focused initiatives.
“At Ibom Air, our core pillars of support are Health, Community Development, Education, and Sports. And what better time than now to invest in sports? Akwa United, a club with a proud championship history, is currently rebuilding. Our goal is to support their resurgence, to help them rise again, back to the top of the league and beyond,” Uriesi said.
In 2024, Ibom Air reported an impressive profit of N6.8bn after suffering a massive financial loss the previous year. It also saw a y-o-y revenue jump of 43%.
The airline operates nine fleets comprising two Airbus A220-300s and Seven Bombardier CRJ900s. At least nine additional Airbus A220-300 aircraft are scheduled to arrive before 2030.
The N200m sponsorship deal will last for an initial two-year term and is renewable. About 50% of the total contract value will be provided in kind while the remaining will be in cash form.
“This partnership comes at a crucial moment as we rebuild and work to return to our best form. The backing from Ibom Air is both strategic and timely,” said Joseph Eno, Chairman of Akwa United FC.
“It will boost the morale of our players and technical team. Wearing the logo of such a reputable brand reminds us that we represent excellence, and we must deliver at the highest level.”
The ceremony also featured the unveiling of the club’s new jersey as well as the inauguration of key working committees.
This development comes a few months after ShipAfrica returned as the title sponsor of the 2025 Ibom Open Golf Tournament in May, marking its second consecutive year.
Formerly known as Ibom Stars FC in 1997, Akwa United FC was the 2021 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Champions for 2021 and is a two-time FA Cup winner (2015 and 2017). It has represented Nigeria in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Like Ibom Air, Akwa United is 100% owned by the Akwa Ibom State government.