By Dayo Awoniyi
The National Sports Commission has issued a firm directive to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that players and coaching staff of the Nigeria women’s national team must receive all their entitlements before the federation can access or allocate any tournament prize money.
Chairman of the Commission, Shehu Dikko, confirmed the directive in a statement made to journalist Osasu Obayiuwana on Saturday.
“I have given the NFF this instruction,” Dikko said, emphasizing that the players are to receive 30 percent of whatever the NFF earns from the competition.
The Super Falcons are already guaranteed at least $300,000 in prize money for securing a fourth-place finish.
This figure increases to $350,000 for third place, $500,000 for second, and peaks at $1 million should Nigeria lift a record-extending tenth WAFCON title.
Dikko’s directive is seen as a decisive step toward addressing recurring issues of unpaid bonuses and financial mismanagement that have plagued the women’s national team for years.
Stakeholders have applauded the move as a long-overdue gesture of accountability and respect for the nation’s most decorated football team.
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.
