Bet9ja Founder Kunle Soname's Billion-Dollar Journey
Bet9ja Founder Kunle Soname's Billion-Dollar Journey
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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 leads Nigeria's sports betting market.
Bet9ja is the country's leading sports betting name, but the entrepreneur behind it almost never makes headlines. Kunle Soname, founder of Bet9ja, created the platform from a single offline operation in Ogun State into a multi-billion-naira enterprise.
Soname's education was anything but a straight line. He studied Estate Management, Political Science, and later completed an MBA prior to getting into local public office. He held the position as Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council from 2003 to 2011, providing practical experience in mobilising people that proved critical in business.
His differentiator was not just the technology. He used his political background to tap into everyday Nigerians. Bet9ja grew quickly by mixing offline accessibility with mobile ease, a formula that almost no rivals matched at the time.
Today, Bet9ja generates an annual turnover of around $750 million, making it the continent's biggest sports betting platform. Soname's wealth is now estimated at more than $100 million, with some reports suggesting a figure as much as $500 million, although these numbers are difficult to confirm given his preference to keep wealth out of the public eye. For punters in Nigeria, that growth is relevant because it is the reason behind the size of investment that Bet9ja puts into improving the experience.
His business interests go well past sports betting. By 2025, Remo Stars was crowned as the NPFL champions, the first privately-run side to take the title. On the aviation side, ValueJet launched commercial flights in 2022 and quickly and capacity. The scope of these businesses reflects a clear strategy of targeting industries relevant to the Nigerian market.
Fast Facts Nigerian Sports Betting
The platform reports more than $750 million in yearly revenue, making it the continent's largest sports betting platform by turnover. [BusinessDay]
Nigeria's sports betting market is expected to exceed $3.63 billion by late 2025, ranking it as the fastest-growing betting markets on the continent. [Grokipedia / SportRadar data]
Bet9ja runs a network of 5,000 retail agents across Nigeria, offering livelihoods to an estimated 10,000+ of workers. [Nairametrics]
In 2019, Bet9ja spent above one billion naira to secure its place as title sponsor of BBNaija, one of the most popular entertainment programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. [BusinessDay]
The country's over 220 million people includes a large and growing young population, making for an exceptionally large addressable markets for online betting. [BusinessDay]
Bet9ja was reported as the second most visited site in Nigeria by Google at its peak, ahead of most local media and entertainment websites. [Nairametrics]
Did You Know?
You may not know that Bet9ja was co-founded alongside Ayo Ojuroye, the executive serves as chief executive officer, while Soname occupies the role of chairman?
Bet9ja began as an offline-only operation in Ogun State, and only later going online and to other states.
Soname's football club, the club that Soname established in 2004 as the name FC Dender, relocated from Lagos to Soname's home state as an expression of the founder's commitment to his hometown.
The YOHAIG promotion code offers first-time bettors a sign-up bonus on their first deposit, making it a highly competitive sign-up offers in Nigeria right now.
Soname became the first person from Nigeria to own a top-tier European football side when he acquired a 70% ownership in Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015 via his company Tavistock Global Resource Limited.
The platform works with Sportradar and NetEnt to deepen both the quality of its odds and the breadth of its gaming content.
Kunle Soname has also established the Beyond Limits Football Academy, a grassroots football development initiative aimed at identify and support youth talent beyond commercial interests.
Kunle Soname's rise is proof that timing, instinct, and a deep understanding of your market can build something extraordinary. Nigerian sports fans who want to join Bet9ja can use the YOHAIG bonus code to unlock a sign-up bonus on their first deposit. Head to a trusted Bet9ja promotion code page for the latest welcome deal 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)
