Shola Akinlade, CEO of Paystack, buys a majority stake in a Danish football club.

Shola Akinlade, co-founder and CEO of Paystack, has acquired a 55 percent ownership in Aarhus Fremad, a second-tier Danish team.

The 76-year-old Danish team will join forces with Sporting Lagos FC, an Akinlade-founded Nigeria National League football team with its home base in Lagos.

According to a statement by Sporting, the deal will create opportunities for European exposure for its best teams, and further help its efforts to develop youth football in the country.

Speaking on the acquisition, Akinlade said, “I am truly honored and excited to embark on this new chapter with Aarhus Fremad and further our shared commitment to engaging and empowering local communities.

“By strengthening the relationship between Sporting Lagos and Aarhus Fremad, we aim to create an environment that fosters education, growth, and opportunity for our players and the community at large. I have the utmost confidence in Lars Kruse’s continued leadership as CEO, and together, we will strive to maintain the values and long-term goals that have made these clubs such a cherished part of their respective communities.”

“By strengthening the relationship between Sporting Lagos and Aarhus Fremad, we aim to create an environment that fosters education, growth, and opportunity for our players and the community at large. I have the utmost confidence in Lars Kruse’s continued leadership as CEO, and together, we will strive to maintain the values and long-term goals that have made these clubs such a cherished part of their respective communities.”

“I’ve been completely honest that I needed some help. I didn’t want to throw it all under the bus, and I’ve always thought that someone must come along when we’ve been as good as we’ve been,” Lars Kruse told Danish newspaper, Århus Stiftstidende.