NBS Bank has bankrolled the newly established Malawi’s second tier football league, National Division League with a three-year K982 million sponsorship.
This was disclosed during the unveiling of the K982 million sponsorship at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre.
The league will bridge the gap between the regional leagues in the Southern, Central and Northern regions of Malawi and the top-flight TNM Super League.
As such, it will be used to provide teams promoted to the top-flight teams and those relegated with be accommodated.
The bank’s chief executive officer Dr Kwanele Ngwenya said development means the division league will start with a K270 million package in the first season before eventually increasing it annually by 20 percent.
He said this has demonstrated their commitment to develop sport in the country as they are also official sponsors of the Charity Shield whose sponsorship was doubled to K40 million.
Said Ngwenya: “NBS Bank has proudly sponsored the Charity Shield for the past three seasons. Today, we are taking a significant step forward by sponsoring the National Division League, which will bridge the gap between the Super League and the lower leagues.
“This sponsorship will provide a platform for more competition among football teams and nurture players for the elite league and the national team, the Flames. The NBS Bank National Division League will kick off in the 2025 season.”
The national division league is, from next season, expected to replace the regional leagues as the country’s second-tier competition and act as a platform for clubs to earn promotion into the TNM Super League.
Ngwenya said the sponsorship commitment, running from 2025 to 2027, includes exclusive naming rights to the division league, prominent brand placement in all league-related materials, digital marketing opportunities and the organization of community events.
“This sponsorship aligns with our strategic goals of enhancing brand visibility, engaging with current and potential customers and reinforcing our commitment to community development,” he said.
“This sponsorship perfectly aligns with our strategic goals of customer engagement and community support. By supporting this league, we aim to foster talent identification and development, benefiting not only the players but also the entire community.”
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya applauded NBS Bank, saying the new partnership lives up to the bank’s motto as ‘The Caring Bank’ for football.
He said: “We cannot wait to ignite the fire that was lacking to catapult the game of football to greater heights with a modern set up of football pyramid structures with this competition.
“That said, allow me to salute NBS Bank in a very special way with a standing ovation. This is a dream come true because the football family has been yearning for such lucrative sponsorship for non-super league competitions for a long time.”
