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The story of how a local government chairman from Ogun State became the of Nigeria’s largest sports betting brand is one of the most compelling in African business.
Bet9ja has become the country’s best-known sports betting platform, but the man behind it seldom makes headlines. Kunle Soname, chairman and co-founder of Bet9ja, created the business from a small offline operation in Ogun State into a multi-billion-naira enterprise.
Originally from Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, Soname studied at Federal Government College in Lagos before completing a degree in Estate Management at Obafemi Awolowo University. He later completed a Political Science degree from Lagos State University and an MBA in Marketing Management in 1996. He moved into politics in 2003, serving as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council in Lagos State for the period 2003 to 2011.
Soname’s edge was more than the product. He drew on political skills to understand everyday Nigerians. Bet9ja scaled rapidly by combining physical agent networks with mobile access, a strategy that almost no rivals matched in those early years.
The platform’s growth created real knock-on benefits for Nigerian bettors. His heavy investment in product development, physical locations, and sponsorship deals has created one of the most well-rounded sportsbook offerings accessible on the continent. Bet9ja now integrates all major Nigerian bank payment options, which makes moving money straightforward.
Away from Bet9ja, Soname has grown a multi-sector commercial portfolio. He owns Remo Stars F.C., a Nigerian Premier League club located in Ikenne, Ogun State, which won the NPFL title in 2025 making it the first privately-owned club to do so. He also bought Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015, making him the first Nigerian to own a European football club. His portfolio extend to the aviation sector via ValueJet, banking through a shareholding in Optimus Bank, manufacturing through Ceramco Trading, and agriculture through Kuker Farms in Abeokuta.
Bet9ja In Numbers
- Bet9ja generates more than $750 million in revenue per year, making it Africa’s leading online betting operator by turnover. [BusinessDay]
- Nigeria’s sports betting sector is expected to exceed $3.63 billion by late 2025, ranking it as a top-performing betting markets in Africa. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
- The company runs over 5,000 retail agents across Nigeria, offering employment to many thousands of young Nigerians. [Nairametrics]
- In 2019, Bet9ja spent more than N1 billion to take on the role of main sponsor of BBNaija, one of the highest-rated television events in sub-Saharan Africa. [BusinessDay]
- Nigeria’s population of residents includes a significant and growing young population, making for an exceptionally largest addressable markets for online betting. [BusinessDay]
- Bet9ja’s website was ranked as the second most visited site in Nigeria according to Google at the time of measurement, ahead of many Nigerian commercial sites. [Nairametrics]
Surprising Facts About Bet9ja
- You may not know that the platform was established by Ayo Ojuroye, who serves as chief executive, while Soname occupies the position of company chairman?
- Bet9ja launched as an offline-only platform in Sagamu, Ogun State, and only later going digital and nationally.
- Remo Stars F.C., which Soname founded in 2004 under the name FC Dender, relocated from Lagos to Ogun State as an expression of the founder’s pride in his roots.
- The YOHAIG promo code offers first-time bettors a welcome bonus on their initial deposit, so it is a highly competitive registration bonuses on the market right now.
- Soname became the first person from Nigeria to own a European football club when he took a 70% share of Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015 through his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
- Bet9ja partnered with data supplier Sportradar and NetEnt to enhance both its odds accuracy and virtual sports and casino content.
- The Bet9ja chairman has also established Beyond Limits Football Academy, a grassroots initiative for young players designed to identify and support emerging football talent beyond commercial interests.
Whether you’ve been a Bet9ja user or are discovering Bet9ja for the first time, understanding the vision behind Bet9ja helps explain why it has grown so quickly in the market. New users can use the YOHAIG promo code for a first-deposit offer — visit bet9japromotioncode.com.ng to see the current offer.
Sources
- BusinessDay Nigeria — How Bet9ja’s Kunle Soname Left Politics to Bet on a Billion-Dollar Industry (accessed March 2025)
- Nairametrics — Meet Bet9ja’s Kunle Soname (accessed March 2025)
- Billionaires Africa — 9 Companies Owned by Kunle Soname (accessed March 2025)
- Legit.ng — Full List of Companies Owned by Kunle Soname (accessed March 2025)
- Grokipedia — Kunle Soname (accessed March 2025)
- BusinessDay Nigeria — How Kunle Soname is Redefining Nigeria’s Football Club Management (accessed March 2025)
