MasterCard Welcomes Back Nigerian UCL Player Mascots

According to Albert Einstein, "the only source of knowledge is experience". Memorable experiences touch the heart. It makes us laugh, cry or/and think. It inspire us to engage and help us to learn, grow and give more. For brands, creating experiences that connect emotionally and make us feel something special is not so simple. It requires thinking out of the box.

For MasterCard, a leader in global payments and a technology company that connects billions of consumers and thousand of financial institutions, consumer engagement is a big deal. Across the world, the company's footprint takes the lead in consumers' engagement. Creating a Priceless Experience through Priceless Surprises.

Through its longstanding association with the UEFA Champions League, MasterCard recently sponsored two Nigerian children to represent the country as official player mascots for the UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin at the Olympiastadion.

In a grand reception at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday, 22 June, 2015 MasterCard welcomed back the two children Abba Ahmed and Jordan Ubah and their families after 5 days in Berlin.

Sharing their Priceless experience with the media, an elated Abba Ahmed described the moment as "unforgettable". "I feel so happy to have had the opportunity to walk Barcelona FC star Neymar to the pitch in Berlin. Being there with my family and MasterCard team made me comfortable and safe. I never worried about anything. I enjoyed every moment of it; especially the cheers of the spectators to the colourful ambiance of the stadium. I want to be a footballer in the future and my parents will give me their support. I want to really thank MasterCard for this memorable experience."

Abba Ahmed walking Barcelona & Brazilian star Neymar 

Jordan Ubah also said the trip gave him the chance to see the world. "I saw the world in Berlin. A tour to the Berlin Gate was wonderful. We spent 5 days there and every of the moment was incredible. I also want to express my gratitude to MasterCard for the opportunity”, he said.

The two football lovers, both from Lagos, won the once in a lifetime opportunity of escorting world-famous football players from Barcelona Football Club (FC) onto the pitch during the final having emerged as winners of the MasterCard Goal Celebration Contest.

Third winner, Jamiu Babatunde also embarked on the trip to Berlin though he couldn’t join Abba and Jordan as player mascots.


In her welcome speech, the Vice President and Area Business Head, MasterCard, West Africa, Omokehinde Ojomuyide said the Priceless Africa launched in 2013 Moment which kicked off in Nigeria last year was initiated to give to give MasterCard users an unforgettable experience through Priceless surprises.

Omokehinde Ojomuyide

“We are very proud of our longstanding association with the UEFA Champions League. The tournament has delivered countless priceless moments and the fans have been there all the way, so it is fantastic to be able to give these two Nigerians and their families a priceless experience at this year’s UEFA Champions League Final.

“In the last five years in Nigeria, we have come up with different programmes to share a Priceless experience with MasterCard users. MasterCard Priceless Moment kicked off in Nigeria in 2014. The campaign is based on music, sports, and fashion. We wanted to give a Priceless experience through Priceless surprises. We know Nigerians love football, and things that have to do with children and parents that was how we came up with the idea.

Ojomuyide explained that the contest saw parents; teachers and football coaches share videos of their children and students performing a goal celebration on social media to stand a chance to win a MasterCard Priceless Experience. She added that contest generated over 36 million impressions social media which shows that people are interested in children, family, and love football initiatives.