President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rewarded each player of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, with ₦100 million following their historic victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu during a reception for the team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. She hosted the players and technical officials on behalf of the President.
According to the First Lady, the ₦100 million for each player will be held in trust (in the form of Federal Government Savings Bonds) and will only become fully accessible when the young athletes turn 18 or when the bonds mature. The arrangement is designed to protect the long-term interests of the teenage players.
Head coach Hakeem Busari will receive ₦100 million, while each member of the technical crew is to get ₦50 million.
The Flamingos made history by becoming the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final. The victory has been widely celebrated across the country as a landmark achievement for Nigerian women’s football.
The First Lady expressed national pride in the team’s performance, praising their discipline, teamwork and determination throughout the tournament. She noted that the young players had inspired the nation and shown that Nigerian girls can excel on the global stage.
The presidential rewards come shortly after the Senate also announced a separate ₦100 million donation to the team in recognition of the same achievement.
The reception at the Presidential Villa marked another high-profile recognition of the Flamingos’ success, following widespread praise from government officials, sports administrators and football fans nationwide.
