Nneka Ede, a Nigerian entrepreneur, and business mogul wrote her name in the history books; after purchasing Portuguese club side Lusitano Ginasio Clube, Futebol, SAD.
This deal automatically made her the first African woman to own a club in Europe. According to the press release seen by Entrepreneurs.ng, the club said; “After months of negotiations with different entities, an agreement has been reached with Mrs. Nneka Ede; a sports enthusiast and entrepreneur from Nigeria, a country filled with people as passionate and fiery about football as us and which incidentally share the same green and white in their flags; towards the transfer of the ownership of the SAD to the latter that will help us in our mission to take Lusitano to the next level.”
This is an incredible achievement for Mrs. Nneka Ede who is said to have been monitoring the development; of the Portuguese side for years before she splashed the money.
Nneka Ede in her statement expressed euphoria and optimism about the deal. She hopes it will foster the great sporting relationship between the two countries.
She said, “I am excited about this opportunity and I hope that this new chapter will deepen the already great sporting relations between Nigeria and Portugal; continue with the rich history of Lusitano club and provide a pathway for young talent to develop and shine through.”
However, the amount the Nigerian businesswoman actually paid to acquire the Portuguese third division side was not revealed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Nneka Ede is the second Nigerian to buy a Portuguese club; after business mogul Kunle Soname bought Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015.