The CEO and co-founder of Paystack, Shola Akinlade, has acquired a 55% stake in Aarhus Fremad, the club is currently at the top of the Danish 2nd Division — the third tier of the Danish football league system.
Last year, he launched Sporting Lagos, a modern football club to incubate the next generation of Nigeria’s sporting talent. The club played its first match at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Africa’s startup hub on February 13, 2022. At the time of the launch, Shola said although he is starting with a club he has a big ambition to build “something that lasts generations. And creates an opportunity for millions”.
This acquisition of Aarhus Fremad is aimed at creating more European exposure for Sporting Lagos players. Aside from a membership programme and an academy, the company intends to make revenue in future through player sales to Europe.
Shola intends to achieve this with the entrepreneurial drive that he used to build Paystack, which was acquired by Stripe in October 2020 for over $200 million.
This acquisition is aimed at creating more European exposure for Sporting Lagos players. Aside from a membership programme and an academy, the company intends to make revenue in future through player sales to Europe.
Shola intends to achieve this with the entrepreneurial drive that he used to build Paystack, which was acquired by Stripe in October 2020 for over $200 million.
“Football has always been a space that makes me proud to be part of this country and continent. That’s likely because football is more than entertainment; it’s identity, it’s opportunity. Digging deeper into the sport has been a revelation. There’s an entire ecosystem of time, activity, and talent that goes into those electrifying 90 minutes,” Shola said during the launch Sporting Lagos in 2022.
“In practical terms, the agreement means that we can have a much larger perspective in Fremad, as well as an international dimension to work with. All in all, I have the feeling right now that this is a really good match, and I look forward to continuing the development in our club as well as the collaboration with Shola and his team,” Lars Kruse, CEO of Aarhus Fremad, says.
