August 14, (THEWILL) — Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, has recently revealed that the Nigerian Federal Government has not delivered the promised $100,000 cash rewards and three-bedroom apartments for each player after their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory in Morocco. President Bola Tinubu announced the incentives during a reception of the victorious Super Falcons at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, celebrating the team’s 10th title win. The players have, so far, received no updates on the payments.
The Super Falcons’ situation mirrors past unfulfilled promises to Nigerian sportsmen and women. In 2016, the team protested in Abuja over unpaid WAFCON bonuses from the Nigeria Football Federation. The 1994 men’s AFCON-winning squad waited over 30 years for promised houses, with allocations only completed in June 2025. Chioma Ajunwa, Nigeria’s 1996 Olympic gold medallist, received her pledged home after 25 years. These delays expose persistent gaps in sports administration.
The non-payment occurs against Nigeria’s economic struggles, where the N70,000 minimum wage in August 2025 equals roughly $45. The promised $100,000 per player, equivalent to over N150 million, highlights the scale of the unfulfilled commitment. Such discrepancies between pledges and delivery raise questions about fiscal priorities. Yet, the government’s failure to act swiftly only fuels distrust among athletes and citizens.
These broken promises damage Nigeria’s standing in global sports. The Super Falcons, with 10 WAFCON titles out of an available 13, have excelled despite limited resources compared to male teams. Unfulfilled rewards, even when heavily criticised by a cross-section of the populace, risk discouraging young athletes, particularly in women’s football, threatening Nigeria’s dominance. The absence of a clear reward system undermines the nation’s sports legacy and immediate remedial action is needed to address these lapses.
A national reward policy could ensure consistent recognition across sectors like sports and education. The Super Falcons’ unpaid rewards reflect broader governance issues, where grand promises often lack follow-through. Fulfilling these commitments is critical to sustaining Nigeria’s sporting excellence and inspiring future talent. The government ought to prioritise accountability to restore trust or scale back on enormous sums as rewards for sports excellence.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
