Rio 2016 Olympics: NOC Unveils Red Sapphire as Exclusive Online Media Partner

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Sets to Run a 30-day Telethon Raffle   

Ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games taking place in August, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), has unveiled Red Sapphire and Team Naija as the first-ever exclusive Online Media Partners (OMP) and exclusive Raffle Draw Operator of the Committee.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160607/808742 )

At the formal unveiling just held at the prestigious Barcelona Hotels, Abuja the National Olympic Committee President, Habu Gumel, also unveiled the campaign theme tagged "We Believe, We Can" .

The RIO 2016 Olympic is billed to kick-off on August 5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The exclusive partnership gives Red Sapphire the right to run the NOC - RIO 2016 Telethon Raffle and to relay the Olympic Games via KairoswebTV and the TeamNaija website, Social media profiles and other selected media platforms.

In his keynote address at the unveiling ceremony President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee, Engr. Habui Gumel, called on all Nigerians and corporate organisations to support Team Naija as they prepare to ensure a grand successful outing at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

"This event and the partnership is poised to be a progressive turn around for the Nigerian participation in the Olympic Project, which has over the years recorded huge successes", he said.

Speaking at the media launch of the ceremony, the Managing Director of Red Sapphire Nigeria Limited, who is also the Director General Team Naija, Mr Onoriode Akpe, commended the efforts of the Nigeria Olympic Committee led by Engr. Gumel, saying that Nigeria's participation at the Rio Olympics should not be left to the government alone.

According to Akpe "the pace and the build-up to RIO 2016 is quickening, the sense of excitement is growing.  That sense of anticipation about what is going to come is really beginning to hit us. And I think the whole country is beginning to really feel that sense of excitement and the next few weeks are going to be simply amazing."

Elaborating on the Team Naija Project, Mr Celestine Achi, Founder of KairoswebTV and Deputy Director General of Team Naija explained that one of the strategies to make Rio 2016 a memorable participation for Team Nigeria is the NOC - RIO 2016 Olympics Telethon TV Raffle which will hold for about 30 days with chances for contestants to win up to N10m and in addition is the Live daily update of the RIO 2016 Olympics on KairoswebTV.

"From a commercial perspective, the raffle template is a win-win situation which will help the NOC to grow funds to support the activities of the Olympic Movement in Nigeria."

"This project is a call to duty to all well-meaning Nigerians, home and abroad, to rally round the NOC by massively queuing behind our athletes and supporting Team Nigeria as they prepare and eventually participate at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil with the ultimate goal of positively impacting on the Medals' Table and Record-breaking Chart," Achi said.

Nigeria's former Olympic gold Medalist, Mary Onyali-Obagbemi, who also spoke at the ceremony called on Nigerians to support the Rio Olympics, stressing that "Team Nigeria need every support now more than ever. I have to do my best to team up to support the NOC and every other partner that may be participating in this programme. If our athletes are not going to the Olympics there is no reason for any of us to be there".

Amongst other dignitaries that attended the Media Lunch were Tunde Popoola the National Olympic Committee Secretary General, the Chief Executive Officer National Lottery Commission Mr. Adolphus Ekpe and the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, National Communication Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta.

#webelievewecan

#teamnaija

SOURCE Cihan Group