PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has rewarded Nigeria’s Super Falcons with national awards, cash gifts, and houses, following their thrilling victory at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
At a reception held on Monday, July 28, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and 11 technical crew members.
Each player also received a cash prize of the naira equivalent of $100,000, while the technical team members were awarded $50,000 each.
In addition, the president directed the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to all recipients in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Estate.
“On behalf of the grateful nation, I hereby confer on the players and the 11 man technical team with national honour of OON. Additionally, I hereby direct the allocation of three-bedroom apartment to each of the player and technical crew in our Renew Hope estate.
“In addition, there’s a cash award of the naira equivalent of 100,000 US dollar to each 24 players and equivalent of 50,000 to the eleven man technical team,” the president said.
The announcement of prizes followed the presentation of the WAFCON trophy by team captain Rasheedat Ajibade and vice-captain Chiamaka Nnadozie to Tinubu and First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
Background
Nigeria’s Super Falcons claimed their 10th WAFCON title on Saturday, July 26, after a dramatic 3–2 comeback win against hosts Morocco in Rabat.
Esther Okoronkwo sparked the revival with a 64th-minute penalty, before Folashade Florence Ijamilusi equalised in the 71st minute. Jennifer Echegini then sealed the dramatic turnaround with a late strike in the 88th minute.
The Super Falcons dominated key areas of the game, registering 14 shots to Morocco’s 10, with five on target. They also held 55 per cent possession, completed 280 passes at 69 per cent accuracy, and earned five corners compared to Morocco’s three.
The 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), hosted by Morocco, kicked off on July 5 with 12 teams competing across three groups. Traditional powerhouses like Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana advanced alongside surprise performers such as Senegal and Algeria.
Nigeria’s victory further cements their dominance in African women’s football.
With this latest triumph, the Super Falcons have now won a record 10 WAFCON titles, reinforcing their status as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
Super Falcons show appreciation
As Tinubu announced the prizes for the players and technical team, the Super Falcons erupted in cheers, and gave the president a standing ovation.
They also filled the hall with applause while a celebratory chant of “Na our Baba be this o,” (this is our father) echoed by players as they showed their excitement and gratitude for the national recognition and rewards.
Earlier in her address, the captain of the team Rasheedat Ajibade, had thanked the Federal Government for the honour and pledged that the team would continue to bring pride to Nigeria.
She also said the victory represented a significant moment in their lives, adding that the players hoped it sent a positive signal to young girls about pursuing their dreams.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M