The second edition of the UNITECOL Cup will kick off on Monday, May 18, in Lagos, with the winner set to earn a high-profile exhibition match against Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Sporting Lagos as part of the tournament’s rewards package.
The collegiate 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 withSportxvibe.com.ng, the competition’s director, Samuel Bamisebi, said the initiative was created to revive the declining culture of collegiate football in Nigeria while creating a direct pathway for student-athletes into professional football.
“The objectives of the competition are pretty simple. We want to harness young talent from the universities and give them a pathway into professional football,” Bamisebisaid.
“Hopefully someday they end up in the national team because we miss the days where players could move from universities into the national teams. Collegiate sports are beginning to lose their place, and we want to return to those days.”
According to Bamisebi, the tournament was intentionally designed to unify Nigeria’s three major categories of tertiary institutions under one football structure.
“The schools involved are based in Lagos. The competition is basically for the three tiers of institutions in Nigeria. ‘Uni’ stands for universities, ‘Tech’ stands for polytechnics, while ‘Co’ represents colleges. That is how UNITECOL was formed,” he said.
“Universities already have NUGA, polytechnics have NIPOGA, and colleges have their own competitions. What we are trying to do is bring all of them together officially under one roof for the first time.”
Bamisebi added that the organisers are beginning with Lagos-based institutions as part of a long-term expansion strategy that could eventually spread across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“We’re starting from Lagos, trying to build the competition, gain recognition and attract brands. Once people see the quality and talent within collegiate football, more support will come and we can expand to the South-West, East and Northern regions,” he stated.
One of the major highlights of the competition is the partnership with Sporting Lagos, which will provide the tournament champions an opportunity to play against the NPFL side in what organisers believe will serve as a major 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 a scouting opportunity because coaches and football stakeholders will be around during the tournament.”
He disclosed that several prominent football personalities are expected to attend the competition, including Daniel Ogunmodede and Rangers International coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, alongside officials from the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Lagos State Government.
Beyond on-field competition, organisers believe the tournament will offer long-term exposure for participating student-athletes through live broadcasts and digital streaming platforms.
“The games are going to be streamed live on YouTube and televised on cable TV. That gives the players visibility,” Bamisebi said.
“They can download match clips, create personal highlights and send them to scouts. There are numerous opportunities available for the 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 our best to give the competition a strong identity, but there is still room for improvement. We are open to collaborations that genuinely add value to the competition and to collegiate football development,” he said.