How Bet9ja's Kunle Soname Built A Billion-Dollar Empire
Bet9ja Founder Kunle Soname's Billion-Dollar Journey
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Few people can name the man behind the green-and-white Bet9ja logo, but Kunle Soname's path from politics to billion-dollar bookmaker is worth knowing.
Bet9ja has become Nigeria's most recognised sports betting brand, but the entrepreneur behind it seldom makes headlines. Kunle Soname, founder of Bet9ja, created the company from a small offline operation in Ogun State into a $750 million-turnover enterprise.
Soname's education was anything but a simple route. He earned degrees in Estate Management, Political Science, and eventually finished an MBA prior to getting into local public office. He served as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council between 2003 and 2011, providing firsthand knowledge in mobilising people that proved critical in business.
After Soname established Bet9ja in September 2013, he took a calculated decision to start offline rather than go purely digital. He recruited agents across Ogun State and opening physical outlets for local football fans, he grew a loyal customer base prior to expanding nationally. The company then rolled out an improved odds offering, virtual sports, and a simplified user experience to pull in tech-savvy users nationwide.
Today, Bet9ja generates annual revenue of more than $750 million, ranking it as Africa's largest sports betting operator. Soname's estimated net worth now stands at more than $100 million, with some reports placing the figure as high as $500 million, even if the higher end is tough to pin down given his choice to keep wealth out of the public eye. For punters in Nigeria, that growth is relevant because it underpins the scale of investment that continues to go into the product.
Outside of Bet9ja, Soname has grown a wide-ranging business empire. He owns Remo Stars F.C., a top-flight Nigerian club located in Ikenne, Ogun State, which won the NPFL championship in 2025 as the first privately-owned side to do so. He also acquired Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015, becoming the first Nigerian national to own a European football club. Soname's businesses also span aviation via ValueJet, banking through co-founding Optimus Bank, manufacturing via Ceramco Trading, and agriculture through Kuker Farms in Ogun State.
Key Data On Nigerian Sports Betting
Bet9ja generates over $750 million in revenue per year, making it the continent's largest online betting brand by income. [BusinessDay]
Nigeria's sports betting sector is expected to exceed $3.63 billion by end-2025, cementing it as one of the fastest-growing gambling markets globally. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
Bet9ja maintains a network of 5,000 agents throughout Nigeria, providing employment to tens of thousands of young Nigerians. [Nairametrics]
In 2019, Bet9ja invested above one billion naira to secure its place as headline sponsor of BBNaija, one of the highest-rated TV shows in Nigeria. [BusinessDay]
The country's over 220 million people includes a significant and growing base of young consumers, producing an addressable markets for online betting. [BusinessDay]
Bet9ja's website was identified as the second most visited site in Nigeria by Google in 2019, outranking most major media and entertainment websites. [Nairametrics]
Bet9ja: Did You Know?
Did you know that the platform was launched together with Ayo Ojuroye, the executive currently holds the role of chief executive, while Soname takes on the position of company chairman?
The company began as an agent-based platform in Sagamu, before going to the web and nationally.
Remo Stars F.C., the club that Soname founded in 2004 under the name FC Dender, relocated from Lagos to Soname's home state as a sign of the chairman's pride in his roots.
The YOHAIG promo code offers new users an opening bonus on their first deposit, making it a highly competitive sign-up offers available at present.
The Bet9ja chairman became the first Nigerian national to own a top-tier European football side when he bought a 70% ownership in the Portuguese second-division side Feirense in 2015 via his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
The platform partnered with Sportradar and casino content provider NetEnt to enhance both data quality and virtual sports and casino content.
Kunle Soname also founded the Beyond Limits Football Academy, a community talent development programme set up to invest in young Nigerian footballers as a social intervention.
The Bet9ja chairman's story is a clear example that reading a market correctly and committing early are enough to build something extraordinary. Nigerian sports fans looking to join Bet9ja should use the YOHAIG promotion code to claim a welcome bonus on their first deposit. Visit a trusted Bet9ja promotion code page for current promotion details before creating an account.
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)