By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Paris Saint-Germain forward Jennifer Echegini has described her decisive role in Nigeria’s historic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) triumph as a moment she will draw strength from for the rest of her career.
The 23-year-old, who scored the match-winning goal in Saturday’s dramatic 3–2 comeback victory over Morocco in the final, told the BBC World Service that the achievement has left a lasting emotional impact.
“I’m just going to carry this moment close to me,” Echegini said. “If I’m ever doubting myself as a player, I just think of this to encourage me and give me confidence.
“It’s my first trophy I’ve ever won in my career, so definitely a memorable one that I’ll keep in my heart forever.”
The victory in Rabat secured Nigeria’s record-extending 10th WAFCON title and marked Echegini’s debut tournament with the Super Falcons.
The young forward’s performance, capped by a title-winning goal, has been widely praised as symbolic of a new generation of Nigerian talent asserting itself on the continental stage.
Echegini’s emergence is seen as a major boost for the national team as Nigeria sets its sights on future international competitions, including the 2025 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
