Windhoek — FNB Namibia and Orlando Pirates football club recently signed a sponsorship agreement worth N$217 000 that will see the bank becoming the exclusive official sponsor of the football club.

The new sponsorship agreement signed by group CEO of FNB holdings, Advocate Vekuii Rukoro and chairperson of Orlando Pirates football club, Immanuel !Nawaseb, will help the club to pay for its day-to-day operational costs.

Speaking at the official signing ceremony, Advocate Rukoro, said "It's our stated objective to contribute to the development of Namibian sport across a wide range of activities, inclusive of capacity building, improved sport management, sustainability of clubs as well as the building of their brands.

"This is a difficult objective to meet but, it's gratifying to note that some clubs have put our sponsorship towards the acquisition of assets and not only to operational costs. This includes fully equipped offices, transport and player accommodation," Rukoro said.

Chairperson of Orlando Pirates football club, Immanuel !Nawaseb, said the involvement of FNB as a responsible corporate citizen in sport development, especially in football, does not need any introduction .

"The recent initiative by FNB to engage and provide resources to various clubs in top flight domestic league is a further demonstration that investment in social ventures is a public relations exercise but borne from the strategic realization that any business will not be sustainable in the long run if it does not plough back to the society within which it operates," !Nawaseb said.