Nyasa Bullets strike a three-year deal with First Capital Bank
Commercialization has changed the face of Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club as it has transformed the Club from being the perennial beggers to one of the most successful Clubs in the Country financially.
The People’s Team has on Wednesday evening announced that they have entered into marriage with the full-service commercial bank offering financial products and services to the corporate, retail and personal markets, First Capital Bank Malawi.
Before the official announcement made by the FCB Malawi Chief Executive Officer, Spyrydon Georgepoluos, Evans Zangazanga popularly known as Piksy, an award winning musician and one of Malawi celebrated and popular musician had a live performance at the Amaryllis Hotel where the official launching of the sponsorship was made.
Piksy performed one of his hit songs titled “Anana” which literally explains what the Club has gone through to reach what they are today.
The event was graced by the newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon Uchizi Mkandawire, Football Association of Malawi President, Walter Nyamilandu, newly elected Sulom President who is also Nyasa Big Bullets Vice-President, Fleetwood Haiya, Nyasa Big Bullets President, Konrad Buckle were also some of the notable faces present.
Making the announcement was the First Capital Bank Malawi Chief Executive Officer, Spyrydon Georgepoluos who said that the Bank will be sponsoring the Club with money to the tune of K525 Million in three years.
“Let me announce that the FCB are the official sponsors of Nyasa Big Bullets for the next three years,” said Spyrydon. “Football is in our DNA. We believe in Bullets, we believe in Malawi and we believe in government’s efforts in developing Football in Malawi.
“We have been in Football industry for the past 15 years where we were sponsoring the FCB U-20 where Players like Peter Banda, Francisco Madinga came from.
“We know that Nyasa Big Bullets that have won all the major domestic titles in Malawi. We are a Malawian Bank and we believe that together with FCB Nyasa Bullets we can develop football.”
Continuing with his remarks, Sipilo said FCB wants to be a Bank of all Malawians and that’s why they have entered in partnership with Nyasa Manufacturing company.
“We thank Nyasa Manufacturing company for allowing us to be in partnership. We thank NMC for making Bullets what they are today,” he added.
On part of Nyasa Big Bullets, the President who is also the Chairman of the board of directors Konrad Buckle thanked the First Capital Bank Malawi for coming into partnership with Nyasa Manufacturing company saying the partnership will help to change the face of football in Malawi and Nyasa Big Bullets.
“They say that there are 16 teams in Super League, but we say that there is only one team in Malawi, and that’s FCB Nyasa Bullets. We urge all our supporters [from Nsanje to Chitipa] to support the First Capital Bank Malawi Plc to return the huge investment, ” said Buckle.
On his part, Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon Uchizi Mkandawire has expressed government’s Commitment to providing the conducive environment to the companies and Banks who are willing to sponsor Sports in the country.
“We urge banks and companies to come forward to start sponsoring Sports in the country,” he said.
The FCB becomes the official sponsors of the team in partisanship with CIC insurance, Hubertus Claus insurance brokers, and Nyasa Manufacturing company as the owners.
At the event, the people’s team in conjunction with The First Capital Bank Malawi unveiled the new 2023-24 Football Season kit that has seen their traditional red and white colours maintained.
The First Capital Bank (formerly First Merchant Bank) are not new-comers in sports as they in 2009 introduced the First Merchant Bank Under-20 Youth Football League by providing financial assistance to the National Football League Committee (an affiliate of the Football Association of Malawi), to help with the country’s football development programme at grassroots level. The league started with a sponsorship of MK4 Million, which has now risen to MK20 Million. Participating teams are drawn from all three regions of the country.
First Capital Bank which focus on the needs of the customers ensuring the highest levels of customer service, maintaining strong delivery channels and responding to market demand through product development and innovation, opened for business in 1995 with one branch in Blantyre. From its humble beginnings the bank now operates 32 branches and agencies across Malawi employing 850 staff and serving a customer base of 500 000.
FCB which is wholly owned by the FMB group, partner with global and regional financial institutions offering international funds transfers(receipts and payments) in major global and regional currencies (USD, EUR, Sterling, Rand, Indian Rupee). They also provide LC confirmations and operate a number of RMA arrangements with a host of other regional banks to support cross-border trade.
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