By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
U.S.-based striker Chioma Okafor has pledged her international allegiance to Nigeria’s Super Falcons, turning down an approach from the Football Association of Malawi.
Born to a Nigerian father and a Malawian mother, Okafor was eligible to represent both countries.
However, after consultations with her family, the University of Connecticut forward has opted to commit her future to the Nigerian national team.
The decision is considered a setback for Malawi, whose football authorities had been actively courting the promising attacker to join the Scorchers ahead of upcoming international competitions.
Okafor’s choice boosts the long-term outlook for Nigeria’s Super Falcons, nine-time champions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and one of the continent’s most successful women’s national teams.
Viewed as a rising talent in U.S. collegiate soccer, Okafor’s inclusion in the Nigerian player pool signals intent by the Nigerian Football Federation to invest in dual-national prospects with strong developmental backgrounds.
Her next steps are expected to include a call-up to the national camp as Nigeria continues preparations for future qualifiers and major tournaments.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
