President Bola Tinubu has announced a ₦100 million reward for each member of Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, following their historic FIFA World Cup triumph in Morocco.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu announced the reward on Wednesday, November 11, during a reception for the team and its officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The package also includes ₦100 million for head coach Hakeem Busari and ₦50 million for each member of the technical crew. The players’ allocations will be issued as savings certificates and held in trust.
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The Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final, November 7, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat. Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Oluebube Umejiaku doubled Nigeria’s lead in the 47th minute. Japan’s Fuki Ito pulled one back in the 80th minute.
The victory made Nigeria the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, surpassing the team’s previous best finish of third place in 2022, when it defeated Germany on penalties to claim bronze.
The achievement adds to Nigeria’s youth football pedigree, with the male Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, having won the corresponding world title five times—in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.
The presidential reward follows a separate ₦100 million pledge by the Senate on Tuesday, November 10, in recognition of the team’s achievement.