LALIGA goes beyond football with “Talks and Tapas” in Lagos

LALIGA’s ambition to deepen its roots in Nigeria took centre stage in Lagos recently, as the Spanish league convened senior executives, policymakers and industry leaders for LALIGA Talks and Tapas, a high-level networking and cultural forum that framed football as a platform for business, governance and long-term value creation.

Designed as an intimate, invitation-only gathering, the Lagos edition of Talks and Tapas marked a shift from fan-facing activations to boardroom engagement, bringing together C-suite executives and institutional stakeholders to explore how football intersects with law, commerce, culture, and youth development. The event reinforced Nigeria’s growing importance in LALIGA’s African strategy, not only as a major broadcast market but as a space for structured partnerships and legacy-driven projects.

Addressing participants, Tresor Penku, Managing Director of LALIGA in Africa, said the initiative was conceived to help partners see the league “more deeply” beyond the spectacle of matchdays. He explained that Talks and Tapas provides a setting where industry leaders can engage with the LALIGA brand through dialogue, cultural exchange and shared experiences tied to the league’s clubs, cities and identity.

Mr Penku noted that Lagos was a natural choice for the Nigerian edition, given the country’s scale, youthful population and strong digital engagement. He reiterated that LALIGA’s objectives in Africa span broadcast services, commercial partnerships, club support, and talent development, all anchored in closer fan engagement.

Active market

Nigeria, he said, has emerged as one of LALIGA’s most active markets on the continent, boasting a rapidly expanding digital audience and strong television viewership. With more than 190,000 registered Nigerian fans on LALIGA platforms and millions engaging across social media, Penku described the country as both a consumption market and a source of football talent.

That talent pipeline featured prominently in discussions around the league’s youth-focused initiatives. In Lagos, LALIGA staged another edition of its draft programme in partnership with EA Sports, with Spanish coaches scouting young boys and girls for exposure opportunities in Spain, including matches against academy sides linked to top-flight clubs.

From a commercial perspective, Jorge Gazapo Diaz, Head of Commercial for LALIGA in Africa, told guests that the league’s growth ambitions must balance commercial strength with community relevance. He stressed that in Nigeria, football carries social meaning beyond entertainment, making it essential for projects to resonate locally while remaining commercially viable.

“Our projects must be commercially powerful, but at the same time community-driven,” Gazapo said, describing Nigeria as a crucial market due to its demographics, scale and cultural connection to football. He added that initiatives such as the NextGen programme are designed to be consistent, following a successful first edition in South Africa.

The Lagos forum was hosted in partnership with Olaniwun Ajayi LP, whose involvement underscored the legal and governance dimensions of football’s expanding business ecosystem. Olatoyosi Alabi, Partner at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, described strong brands as products of “strategy, structure and sound governance,” noting that Talks and Tapas was deliberately shaped as a space to examine the commercial, legal and governance frameworks influencing modern football.

According to Ms Alabi, the collaboration with LALIGA and Legacy Sports aimed to invite brands into conversations about value creation, protection, and sustainable partnerships, particularly as global sports properties seek deeper footholds in African markets.

The forum also attracted representation from government and investment circles. Abia State was represented by Raymond Ukwa, Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, and Chief Green Amakwe, Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment Promotions, both of whom participated in exchanges on how global football development models could be adapted to local realities.

Also present was Desmond Chiji, LALIGA Delegate Global Network and Country Manager for Nigeria and Ghana, whose role has been central to coordinating the league’s growing footprint across the region.

By the close of the evening, the Lagos edition of LaLiga Talks and Tapas had achieved its core aim: reframing football as a convening force for business leaders, policymakers and creatives, while positioning LALIGA as a partner invested in Nigeria’s commercial, cultural and sporting future.