The Nigerian Senate has announced a N100 million cash reward for Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the donation during plenary on Tuesday while presiding over a motion moved by Senator Abdul Ningi to congratulate the team on its achievement.
Ningi described the victory as historic, noting that the young players had accomplished what several other Nigerian national teams had struggled to achieve.
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He said the win was particularly remarkable given the limited expectations surrounding the team before the competition.
The senator expressed concern that the achievement had not received adequate publicity and national recognition, insisting that the players deserved to be celebrated for bringing honour to Nigeria and Africa.
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Senate commends Flamingos for historic achievement
Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole commended the Flamingos for defeating Japan in the final, describing the victory as evidence of the potential and determination of Nigerian youths.
Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to recognise the country’s achievements rather than focus solely on its challenges.
He also appealed to the Senate leadership to make a financial contribution to the players to support their educational needs alongside their football careers.
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The Senate subsequently adopted Ningi’s prayers, congratulating President Bola Tinubu on his support for sports development, Nigerians on the historic victory, and the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC), particularly its chairman, Shehu Dikko.
It also urged the federal government to provide adequate compensation and rewards for the players in recognition of their achievement.
Akpabio urges NFF to sustain team
In his remarks, Akpabio described the Flamingos’ victory as a significant milestone for Nigeria and Africa, particularly after the team defeated established football nations, including Brazil and Japan, on their way to the title.
He called on the Federal Government to adequately reward the players and urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain the team and continue developing the young talents for future competitions.
The Senate President also appealed to wealthy and sports-loving Nigerians to support the players and encourage more young people to participate in sports.
He said the N100 million donation from the National Assembly was intended to recognise the players’ achievement and motivate them to continue bringing honour to the country.
“I want to commend the Flamingos, the Under-17 youth team of Nigeria, for defeating major countries such as Brazil and Japan to win the Under-17 World Cup for the first time for Africa and for Nigeria.
“We also urged, and we pray, that the Federal Government will recognise these children accordingly and give them adequate rewards.
“The Nigerian Football Federation, under its leadership, should see the need to keep these children together and develop them further,” Akpabio said.
He congratulated the players, the Senate Committee on Sports and Nigerians on the historic achievement.
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