Adidas Brand Comes to Nigeria

Adidas, the global sports brand, has opened two stores in Nigeria through its Strategic Retail Partner, Mopheth Sport Nigeria Ltd, during the last quarter of 2012. The move demonstrates adidas’ intention to strengthen the brand in the vibrant Western African country. “Although we have always had a strong presence in Nigeria through the sponsorship of the Super Eagles, our product offering has been limited. As part of our growth into Africa, we have identified a well-established retail partner who is responsible for the rollout of adidas monobranded stores in Nigeria,” says Astrud Meintjes, the Senior Business Development Manager at adidas South Africa. The adidas brand entered the Nigerian market, when Mopheth opened the first adidas store in Lagos’ Ikeja City Mall in October 2012.This has been followed up, by the opening of a second store in the nation’s capital, Abuja, in December 2012.

Both offer the latest in adidas products including footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids in the following categories: football, running, basketball, training and Originals. adidas retail partner, Mr Adekunle Oyegade, says he is excited by the partnership with a well-known global brand like adidas and sees it as a way of strengthening his already strong business in Nigeria. “adidas brings the Nigerian customer a wide variety of world class product for both the sports and style enthusiasts. This partnership also means we are able to communicate the brand concepts and styles that were previously not accessible to our customers,” he says. adidas is also the official match ball supplier to the Confederation of African Football, and supplier of KATLEGO, the official match ball for the Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2013, taking place in South Africa. To celebrate this adidas SA ran a competition that included the Lagos store, whereby a young football fan from Nigeria won the opportunity to carry the official match ball onto the field of play during the game Mubarak Adebowale, a 15 year-old midfielder from Lagos, was in high spirits when asked about his role. Interviewed before the game, between Nigeria and Zambia , which took place in Nelspruit, South Africa on 25 January 2013, he said “I am very excited and extremely happy! I can’t wait to tell everybody about my trip to South Africa. I hope to meet some of the greatest players in African soccer. I have told everyone to tune in and record my match to watch me walk onto the field. I am going to feel very proud of myself on that day. Nigeria will win,” he says. The global sports brand is also hosting a couple from Lagos for the final of the Africa Cup of Nations this weekend. Ismail Badmus won an online adidas competition for the naming of current AFCON Ball –KATLEGO. “I’m excited to visit South Africa and see the Super Eagles playing in the final. At the time I entered the competition towards the end of the previous AFCON, I chose the name KATLEGO from the three ball names in an online adidas competition on Supersport –I had no idea then that my team will be playing in the final. Thanks to adidas and the Nigerian players for making this a special visit,” he says.