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 journey from politics to billion-dollar bookmaker is worth knowing.
You probably recognise the Bet9ja name, but far fewer people know who built it. Kunle Soname, a quiet entrepreneur from Ikenne in Ogun State, established Bet9ja in 2013 and built it into Nigeria's biggest sports betting company.
Soname's academic path did not follow a straight line. He studied Estate Management, Political Science, and later finished an MBA prior to entering local public office. He served as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council for eight years, providing firsthand knowledge in public administration that would later prove critical in business.
His differentiator went beyond the product. He leveraged his experience in public life to tap into the general public. Bet9ja grew quickly by combining on-the-ground presence with online access, a formula that almost no rivals matched in those early years.
Now, Bet9ja records an annual turnover of more than $750 million, ranking it as Africa's biggest sports betting brand. Soname's personal net worth is now estimated at over $100 million, with some estimates suggesting a figure as much as $500 million, even if the higher end is tough to pin down given Soname's preference to keep finances out of the public eye. For punters in Nigeria, the journey is meaningful because it explains the depth of that continues to go into improving the experience.
Outside of Bet9ja, Soname has assembled a multi-sector business empire. He owns Remo Stars F.C., a Nigerian Premier League side from Ikenne, Ogun State, which won the NPFL title in 2025 making it the first private club to do so. He additionally bought Portuguese second-division side in 2015, making him the first Nigerian to hold a stake in a European club. His portfolio also cover the aviation sector via ValueJet, financial services through a shareholding in Optimus Bank, manufacturing through Ceramco Trading, and agriculture via Kuker Farms in Ogun State.
Key Facts On Nigerian Sports Betting
The platform records more than $750 million in revenue per year, making it Africa's largest online betting operator by turnover. [BusinessDay]
Nigeria's sports betting market is expected to exceed $3.63 billion by late 2025, ranking it as a top-performing gambling markets on the continent. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
Bet9ja operates more than 5,000 retail agents throughout Nigeria, providing livelihoods to many thousands of Nigerian youths. [Nairametrics]
Back in 2019, Bet9ja spent more than N1 billion to secure its place as main sponsor of Big Brother Naija, which ranks as the most popular entertainment programmes in West Africa. [BusinessDay]
Nigeria's 220 million+ residents includes a substantial and expanding young population, making for an exceptionally large addressable audiences for betting. [BusinessDay]
Bet9ja was ranked as Nigeria's second most visited website by Google at the time of measurement, above most local news websites. [Nairametrics]
Surprising Things About Bet9ja
Did you know that Bet9ja was established by Ayo Ojuroye, who currently holds the role of chief executive, while Soname occupies the role of company chairman?
The company began as an physical operation in Ogun State, prior to expanding online and to other states.
Soname's football club, the club that Soname founded in 2004 with the name FC Dender, was rebranded and moved from Lagos to Ogun State as an expression of the founder's pride in his roots.
Bet9ja's YOHAIG promotion code gives newly registered members an opening bonus on the initial deposit, making it a highly competitive sign-up offers on the market today.
He became the first Nigerian national to acquire a European football club when he bought a 70% share of CD Feirense in 2015 through his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
Bet9ja partnered with Sportradar and casino content provider NetEnt to strengthen both its odds accuracy and its casino and virtual games catalogue.
Kunle Soname also founded Beyond Limits Football Academy, a grassroots talent development programme designed to identify and support youth talent beyond commercial interests.
Whether you're a long-time Bet9ja user or are hearing about Bet9ja for the first time, understanding the vision behind the platform adds context to why it has grown so quickly in Nigeria. New members should check the YOHAIG promo code for a welcome bonus — check out the latest YOHAIG listing for updated offer terms.
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)
