The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved the appointment of Coach Akeem Ishola Busari as the new Head Coach of the U17 Girls National Team, the Flamingos, following a recommendation by the Federation’s Technical and Development Committee.
Busari brings to the role a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of women’s football, taking over from Coach Bankole Olowookere, who led the Flamingos to a bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.
The newly appointed coach faces an immediate challenge: guiding the Flamingos through the upcoming qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in Morocco. The team is set to meet the winner of the preliminary clash between Niger Republic and Guinea, with the first leg taking place away from home in the third week of next month.
Currently, Busari serves as the Head Coach of Pacesetter Queens Football Club in Ibadan, where he has developed a reputation for nurturing young talent and building competitive squads.
With Busari at the helm, the Flamingos are expected to enter the next phase of preparations with renewed focus and strategic vigor, aiming to secure their place on the global stage once again.
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.
