Ife Bakare | Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation at MedPlus Pharmacy
The Nigeria Padel Federation (NPF) has appointed Ife Bakare, Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation at MedPlus Pharmacy, to its board. He brings corporate finance and investor-relations experience to a body that is still in its first year. The federation’s plans for academies, infrastructure and international events depend on attracting outside investment.
The appointment was formalised on 15 October 2026, when the National Sports Commission (NSC) inaugurated the federation’s leadership board at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko presided, with NPF President Babajimi Adegoke Benson and Vice President Alain Semaan in attendance. The padel board was one of four sworn in that day. The others were the basketball, arm wrestling and fencing federations.
Bakare’s Career
At MedPlus, which describes itself as Nigeria’s leading retail pharmacy chain with more than 164 stores, Bakare leads digital transformation and strategic growth and oversees corporate finance and investor relations. He played a central role in the company securing growth capital from Verod Capital. The West African private equity firm took a significant minority stake in MedPlus in 2022 through its Growth Fund III, for an undisclosed sum. Before MedPlus, Bakare managed SME growth at Flutterwave. He is also an angel investor in African and Silicon Valley tech companies, and he plays tennis and padel.
“Padel is growing because it brings people together, on and off the court. What excites me about the Federation is the chance to get the foundations right: fair competition, good coaching, and a real pathway for young Nigerians to play at the highest level. Talent is everywhere in this country. Structure is what turns it into results, and I’m proud to help build that,” Bakare said.
Benson, who also chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, has set out plans to attract investment, build training academies and make Nigeria a destination for major padel competitions.
“Padel has enormous potential to capture the imagination of Nigerians, nurture new talent, create opportunities for our youth, and strengthen Nigeria’s presence on the global sporting stage. With deliberate investment in infrastructure, grassroots development, coaching and competitions, we can build a vibrant padel ecosystem that reaches every corner of our country,” Benson said.
The NPF’s remit covers national competitions, coach and referee development, talent identification, youth programmes and Nigeria’s participation in international padel.
Padel’s growth through private investment
Elsewhere, padel has grown mainly through private investment . Court operators, hotels, property developers and drinks brands fund the courts because they bring in members and paying customers. Lagos already follows the pattern, Guinness Nigeria has opened a branded lounge at the Magic Padel court at the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, and that activity came before any national governing structure existed. The federation therefore has to give sponsors and court investors a reason to work through it: sanctioned tournaments, certified coaches and a recognised route to national-team selection. Those are the things that make a sponsorship or venue partnership worth more.
Where Bakare’s background is most relevant is raising private equity for a retailer means showing investors governance, reporting discipline and a credible growth plan, which are the same things a sponsor or facility partner will look for from a young federation.
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