The company hopes to reach out to approximately 42 million fans across Africa by utilising club’s merchandising hospitality in five countries Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda.
“I am delighted to welcome Airtel into our family of commercial partners. This is the second long-term partnership arrangement to arise from the continent and we look forward to developing a number of exciting initiatives with Airtel, starting with our forthcoming tour to Nigeria in August. This underlines the depth of our following in Africa and how the profile of the club continues to grow internationally,” Arsenal’s head of gobal partnerships Vinai Venkatesham said.
The company also supports Airtel Rising Stars, a pan-African soccer talent program that focuses on identifying and nurturing budding talents from the grassroots to the national level by providing talent to upcoming talent in Africa.
Airtel Africa chief marketing officer, Andre Beyers expressed his views on the development.
“Football fans across Africa are known for their passion of the great game. Arsenal’s exciting style of play and a history of working with the best talent from Africa will enrich this partnership and offer a wealth of opportunities for upcoming players and fans.
The partnership provides an impetus to the Airtel Rising Stars in some of the countries that have produced amazing young talent and whose youth teams have gone on to win Fifa Youth and Olympic tournaments.’’
The club will hold its second ever pre-season tour of Africa, having played in South Africa in 1993. The 2012 visit will feature a game between the Arsenal first-team and the Nigeria's Super Eagles on 5 August in Abuja.
Airtel is a leading integrated telecommunication company that is represented in Anglophone and Francophone countries including: Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia
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