AZAM FC SEALS NATIONAL MICROFINANCE BANK SPONSORSHIP DEAL

NMB Chief Executive Officer, Mark Wiessing (left) and Azam's Chairman, Said Mohamed (right) shake hands after the signing ceremony, while holding the new jersey bearing the NMB logo.

After weeks of speculations, the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) and Mainland Premier League champions Azam FC have officially sealed a two-year undisclosed sponsorship contract.

The deal was signed at the club's base inside Chamazi Stadium on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam yesterday by Azam's Chairman, Said Mohamed and NMB Chief Executive Officer, Mark Wiessing. Shortly after signing the deal Mohamed said that from now onwards NMB will be Azam's main sponsor.

"From now onwards Azam will be branded with the NMB logo instead of the usual Cola logo," he said. "The bank's two-year sponsorship will feature all the things relating with the team that includes branding, transport, kits, maintenance of the pitch as well as other packages," he added.

Mohamed bragged that Azam's outstanding performance since earning promotion to top flight league in 2008 has helped attract what he described as a milestone sponsorship.

"NMB decided to push through with their sponsorship after witnessing Azam's outstanding performance both at local and international level," he said.

On his part, Wiessing said they have decided to sponsor Azam FC because the two share the same goals which are always focused on winning and good governance.

"It's only natural to continue supporting football because there is no other sport in Tanzania which has more supporters and fans," he pointed out.

He said that the bank has been supporting football for the past several years, thus it is continuing with efforts to look for new ways of assisting the sport.

"We are associated with giving back to the community and give our support to the national team, women team, youth project, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Coaching Project and our own team through a wide consideration," Wiessing said.

Azam's deal with NMB comes hardly a day after CRDB Bank stepped in and entered into a five-year sponsorship contract with Young Africans, which signifies that investing in the Mainland Premier League is increasingly becoming a trend for local financial institutions.

In June, this year, both Simba and Yanga entered into contract with Tanzania Postal Bank (TBP), for the former to issue membership cards to club members.

However, Yanga announced on Tuesday to have terminated the contract with TPB and decided to enter into a similar deal with CRDB Bank, in which the former will issue new membership cards that will also be used in bank transactions.

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