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FG rewards triumphant Flamingos, head coach with ₦100m each
Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu has rewarded each member of the Nigerian under-17 female team, Flamingos, with a savings bond worth ₦100 million.
While the head coach would also receive ₦100 million, members of the technical crew would each get ₦50 million.
The team had during Saturday’s final defeated Japan to win their first FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup title, making them the first African team to win the competition.
Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who represented the president, announced the awards during a reception held in Abuja in honour of the triumphant team, while praising the team for recording victory in six consecutive matches.
She stated that the victory would inspire young girls who wish to realize their ambitions, while also commending the coaches, technical crews and other stakeholders for their contributions.
Speaking at the ceremony, chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, said the decision to present the girls with savings bonds rather than cash was designed to protect the long-term interests of the players who are mostly teenagers.
“There is no need to flood them with money that can distort their career. So we are now giving them what we call an FGN savings bond for like five years.
“That savings bond comes at like 14, 12 percent interest annually, meaning each of them will be adding like N1.1m plus monthly for the next five years, which is enough to look outside their education, to look outside their training, and then by the time those bonds mature, they are already adults.
“They can make a clear decision of what to do with their own money,” he said.
“I don’t think there is any father that wants to give his 16-year-old, 15-year-old, N100m at this age.
“But you can invest for your 16-year-old so that at 20 they will have money to set their life.
“That’s basically what the president has done at this moment, which is unprecedented,” he added.
Dikko further stated that the players would continue to receive their monthly income during the bond period, noting that the annual returns would be a source of steady income for their education, training and family needs.
Flamingos had made history by defeating Japan 2-1 to win the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Nigerian side had lost 2-1 to Poland in their opening game in the competition, but had a dramatic turnaround to secure six consecutive wins in their subsequent matches.
Akeem Busari, head coach of the flamingos said renewed confidence and psychological guidance assisted in improving the players’ attitude and approach.
The Flamingos had also won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire with five victories and 17 goals before heading to Morocco for the World Cup.
