How Kunle Soname Turned Bet9ja Into Nigeria's Top Brand

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Kunle Soname: The Man Who Built Bet9ja From Scratch














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Kunle Soname left a promising political career to build Bet9ja, and the gamble paid off in a big way — his platform now dominates Nigeria's sports betting market.






You likely recognise the Bet9ja name, but not many know who built it. Kunle Soname, a publicity-shy entrepreneur from Ikenne in Ogun State, launched Bet9ja in 2013 and turned it into Nigeria's biggest sports betting company.




Soname's background was far from a single track. He earned degrees in Estate Management, Political Science, and eventually completed an MBA before getting into local public office. He held the position as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council from 2003 to 2011, earning him firsthand knowledge in public administration that proved useful in business.




His edge was not just the technology. He leveraged his experience in public life to understand the general public. Bet9ja grew quickly by pairing physical agent networks with mobile ease, a formula which few other bookmakers matched in those early years.




At present, Bet9ja reports yearly revenue of more than $750 million, making it the continent's biggest sports betting operator. Soname's personal net worth is put at more than $100 million, with some estimates placing the figure as high as $500 million, even if the higher end is tough to confirm given his to keep wealth out of the public eye. For punters in Nigeria, the journey matters because it explains the scale of resources that continues to go into the product.




Soname's ambitions reach well beyond the betting industry. By 2025, Remo Stars became the NPFL title-winners, marking the first time privately-run side to win the league. On the aviation side, ValueJet began domestic operations in 2022 and quickly grown routes and capacity. The scope of these businesses shows a long-term strategy of building assets that serve the Nigerian consumer.




Fast Facts Bet9ja

Bet9ja generates more than $750 million in annual turnover, placing it Africa's biggest online betting brand by revenue. [BusinessDay]
The Nigerian online gambling market is forecast to hit $3.63 billion by end-2025, cementing it as the fastest-growing sports betting markets on the continent. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
The company runs a network of 5,000 licensed agents spread across Nigeria, giving livelihoods to many thousands of Nigerian youths. [Nairametrics]
Back in 2019, Bet9ja committed more than N1 billion to take on the role of title sponsor of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show, one of the most watched television events in Nigeria. [BusinessDay]
Nigeria's 220 million+ citizens includes a large and increasing base of young consumers, making for an exceptionally sizeable audiences for betting. [BusinessDay]
Bet9ja was ranked as Nigeria's second most visited website by Google at the time of measurement, above most local commercial platforms. [Nairametrics]





Bet9ja: Facts Worth Knowing

You may not know that the platform was co-founded alongside Ayo Ojuroye, who serves as chief executive officer, while Soname takes on the role of company chairman?
Bet9ja launched as an offline-only business in Sagamu, Ogun State, and only later going digital and across Nigeria.
Remo Stars, the club that Soname set up in 2004 with the name FC Dender, was rebranded and moved from Lagos to Ikenne, Ogun State as an expression of the founder's pride in his roots.
The YOHAIG promotion code gives new users a sign-up bonus on the opening deposit, which makes it among the best-value registration bonuses in Nigeria at present.
He became the first Nigerian national to hold a stake in a club in Europe when he acquired a 70% stake in Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015 through his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
Bet9ja signed a deal with global data provider Sportradar and casino content provider NetEnt to enhance both its odds accuracy and the breadth of its gaming content.
Kunle Soname also set up BLFA, a youth-focused football development initiative aimed at invest in young Nigerian footballers as a community project.





Whether you've been a Bet9ja customer or are hearing about Bet9ja for the first time, knowing the story behind this brand helps explain why it has grown so large in Nigeria. First-time bettors can enter the YOHAIG promotion code YOHAIG to claim a sign-up bonus — check out the latest YOHAIG listing to see the current offer.




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)

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