Moniepoint microfinance bank has officially unveiled the maiden edition of the Monieball, Nigeria’s first-ever national university five-a-side football competition, which will run from 8 to 31 October.
The initiative will bring together eight universities in a month-long competition running from 8th to 31st October 2025.
The tournament brings together eight universities across 16 matches and eight matchdays in three host campuses. It will begin from the group stages (round robin format), semi-finals (knockout), across three weeks on campus, with the championship final and third-place playoff in Lagos on Friday, 31 October.
Universities participating include the University of Ilorin (hosts), the University of Calabar, and the University of Ibadan in Group A, while Group B will feature Abia State University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
Each match will consist of two 25-minute halves with a five-minute halftime. Teams will field 10 players (four outfield players, 1 goalkeeper, and five substitutes) plus five team officials.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos over the rationale for the tourney, Head of Brand at Moniepoint, Anastasia Igbokidi, said the initiative was designed to provide a platform for students to showcase their talent while connecting them with opportunities beyond 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-makin 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.
