By Wale Mustapha
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has rewarded each player of Abakaliki FC with ₦1 million for their impressive performance in the 2025 President Federation Cup, where they finished as runners-up.
The announcement was made on Monday during a reception for the team at the Government House in Abakaliki, following their return from Lagos.
Despite falling short in the final against Kwara United—losing 4–3 on penalties after a goalless draw—Abakaliki FC captured national attention with their underdog run, which included victories over Enyimba FC, Nasarawa United, Katsina United, and Ikorodu City.
“The players showed remarkable resilience and determination, and they made our state proud,” Governor Nwifuru said. “We will continue to invest in sports and build on this success.”
In addition to the individual rewards, the team also received a ₦20 million cash prize for reaching the final.
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.
