How Kunle Soname Turned Bet9ja Into Nigeria's Top Brand
How Bet9ja's Kunle Soname Built a Billion-Dollar Empire
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "How Bet9ja's Kunle Soname Left Politics to Bet on a Billion-Dollar Industry",
"description": "Kunle Soname left a political career to found Bet9ja, and built Nigeria's biggest sports betting platform with over $750 million in annual turnover.",
"datePublished": "2025-03-04T08:00:00Z",
"dateModified": "2025-03-04T08:00:00Z",
"author":
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Bet9ja News",
"url": "https://www.bet9japromotioncode.com.ng/"
,
"publisher":
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Bet9ja News",
"logo":
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://www.bet9japromotioncode.com.ng/logo.png"
,
"keywords": "Bet9ja promo code, YOHAIG, Bet9ja promotion code, Nigerian sports betting, Bet9ja bonus",
"articleSection": "Sports Betting",
"inLanguage": "en-NG",
"about":
"@type": "Thing",
"name": "Bet9ja",
"description": "Nigeria's leading online sports betting platform"
* margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box;
body font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7; color: #2d2d2d; background: #f4f4f4;
.container max-width: 820px; margin: 0 auto; background: #fff; padding: 40px; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);
h1 font-size: 28px; line-height: 1.3; color: #111; margin-bottom: 12px;
.subheading font-size: 17px; color: #555; margin-bottom: 28px; line-height: 1.6; font-weight: 400; border-left: 4px solid #1a7a3c; padding-left: 14px;
article p font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 18px;
article h2 font-size: 21px; margin: 32px 0 14px; color: #111; border-top: 2px solid #1a7a3c; padding-top: 16px;
.stats-section background: #f0faf4; border: 1px solid #b2dfca; border-radius: 8px; padding: 24px; margin: 32px 0;
.stats-section h2 border-top: none; padding-top: 0; margin-top: 0; color: #145a2e;
.stats-section ul margin-left: 20px;
.stats-section li margin-bottom: 12px; font-size: 15px; color: #333;
.did-you-know background: #fff8e1; border: 1px solid #ffc107; border-radius: 8px; padding: 24px; margin: 32px 0;
.did-you-know h2 color: #7a5800; border-top: none; padding-top: 0; margin-top: 0;
.did-you-know ol margin-left: 20px;
.did-you-know li margin-bottom: 11px; font-size: 15px;
.sources margin-top: 32px; padding-top: 20px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: 14px; color: #666;
.sources h2 font-size: 16px; color: #444; border: none; padding: 0; margin-bottom: 10px;
.sources ul margin-left: 18px;
.sources li margin-bottom: 6px;
a color: #1a7a3c; text-decoration: none;
a:hover text-decoration: underline;
strong color: #111;
@media (max-width: 600px) .container padding: 20px; h1 font-size: 22px;
The story of how a local government chairman from Ogun State became the founder of Nigeria's biggest sports betting company is one of the most remarkable in African business.
Bet9ja is Nigeria's leading sports betting name, but the man behind it seldom makes headlines. Kunle Soname, co-founder and chairman of Bet9ja, grew the platform from a modest offline operation in Ogun State into a multi-billion-naira company.
Soname's education did not follow a simple route. He earned degrees in Estate Management, Political Science, and later finished an MBA before getting into local public office. Soname served as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council for eight years, earning him real-world exposure in managing large organisations that turned out to be useful in business.
When Soname launched Bet9ja in September 2013, he chose deliberately to start offline rather than launch purely digital. Working with agents across Ogun State and establishing offline betting shops for nearby punters, Soname built a strong customer base ahead of rolling out nationally. The company then introduced better odds than rivals, virtual sports, and a clean user experience to attract tech-savvy bettors throughout Nigeria.
Today, Bet9ja reports an annual turnover of over $750 million, making it Africa's top-ranked sports betting operator. Soname's estimated net worth now stands at more than $100 million, with some estimates putting it as high as $500 million, though the higher end is tough to confirm given his choice to keep finances private. For Nigerian bettors, that growth matters because it explains the size of resources that keeps flowing into its platform.
Beyond Bet9ja, Soname has grown a multi-sector commercial portfolio. He founded Remo Stars F.C., a Nigerian Premier League football club from Ikenne, Ogun State, which won the NPFL title in 2025 making it the first privately-owned club to do so. He also acquired Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015, becoming the first Nigerian national to own a European football club. His ventures extend to aviation via ValueJet, financial services through co-founding Optimus Bank, ceramics manufacturing via Ceramco Trading, and farming through Kuker Farms based in Abeokuta.
Fast Facts Nigerian Sports Betting
Bet9ja generates over $750 million in annual turnover, ranking it the continent's largest sports betting brand by revenue. [BusinessDay]
The Nigerian sports betting sector is forecast to hit $3.63 billion by the end of 2025, ranking it as the fastest-growing gambling markets on the continent. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
Bet9ja maintains a network of 5,000 licensed agents throughout Nigeria, offering livelihoods to an estimated 10,000+ of Nigerian youths. [Nairametrics]
In 2019, Bet9ja committed more than N1 billion to secure its place as title sponsor of Big Brother Naija, a programme widely considered the highest-rated entertainment programmes in West Africa. [BusinessDay]
The country's population of people includes a substantial and increasing base of young consumers, producing one of the world's largest addressable markets for online betting. [BusinessDay]
The platform was ranked as Nigeria's second most visited website by Google in 2019, ahead of most local news sites. [Nairametrics]
Bet9ja: Did You Know?
You may not know that Bet9ja was established alongside Ayo Ojuroye, who is chief executive, while Soname takes on the position of company chairman?
Bet9ja launched as an agent-based operation in Ogun State, before moving to the web and nationally.
Remo Stars F.C., which Soname founded in 2004 as the name FC Dender, was moved from Lagos to Ogun State as a sign of the chairman's commitment to his hometown.
The YOHAIG bonus code offers new users a sign-up bonus on their first deposit, which makes it a highly competitive welcome deals on the market at present.
The Bet9ja chairman became the first Nigerian national to acquire a club in Europe when he took a 70% ownership in CD Feirense in 2015 via his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
The platform partnered with data supplier Sportradar and casino content provider NetEnt to strengthen both its odds accuracy and virtual sports and casino content.
The Bet9ja chairman also set up Beyond Limits Football Academy, a grassroots talent development programme aimed at identify and support youth talent as a community project.
The Bet9ja chairman's story is a clear example that timing, instinct, and a deep understanding of your market are what it takes to build something extraordinary. who want to join Bet9ja may want to enter the YOHAIG promotion code to claim a welcome bonus at sign-up. Head to bet9japromotioncode.com.ng for the most up-to-date promotion details before signing up.
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)
