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The achievement came seven months and five days after the Nigeria Football Federation appointed him to lead the team on April 2, 2026.\n<\/p>\n
According to the NFF\u2019s announcement published on its official website on April 2, 2026, the federation\u2019s Executive Committee approved a recommendation by its Technical and Development Committee for Busari\u2019s appointment as Flamingos head coach.<\/p>\n
He replaced Bankole Olowookere, who had spent several years with the team and led Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women\u2019s World Cup in India.\n<\/p>\n
At the time of his appointment, Busari was the head coach of Pacesetter Queens Football Club of Ibadan, a position that the NFF highlighted in its announcement.\n<\/p>\n
His immediate responsibility was to guide the Flamingos through the qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, which was scheduled to be hosted by Morocco.<\/p>\n
The NFF said the team was waiting to face the winner of the preliminary qualifying encounter between Niger Republic and Guinea, with the first leg scheduled to take place away from home in the third week of May 2026.\n<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a report by Blueprint, published on November 6, 2026, titled \u201cNIS DG to Flamingos coach Busari: Bring U17 Women\u2019s World Cup home,\u2019 quoted the National Institute for Sports (NIS) Director-General, Philip Shaibu, as saying that Busari obtained his initial coaching qualification from the institute in Lagos in 1999.\n<\/p>\n
According to Shaibu, Busari returned to the institute for its Higher Programmes between 2003 and 2006, with his final coaching certificates issued in October 2006.\n<\/p>\n
The details provide insight into the coach\u2019s professional training, which began more than two decades before he led the Flamingos to their historic FIFA U-17 Women\u2019s World Cup triumph.\n<\/p>\n
From Pacesetter Queens to the national assignment<\/h3>\n
Barely eight days after his appointment, Busari began putting together his squad for the qualifying campaign.\n<\/p>\n
In an NFF report published<\/a> on April 10, 2026, titled \u2018Morocco 2026: Busari invites 36 to Flamingos\u2019 camp ahead of second round fixture,\u2019 the NFF announced that the new coach had invited 36 players to the national team\u2019s camp.\n<\/p>\n The squad comprised five goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 13 midfielders and eight forwards.<\/p>\n Among the invited players were Fidel Pepple and Aminat Abiodun of Pacesetter Queens, his former club, while other players were drawn from clubs across the Nigeria Women Football League and academies.<\/p>\n The NFF also announced on April 10 that the federation\u2019s Executive Committee had endorsed the appointment of Jegede-Idakwo and Omodiaghe as assistants to Busari.\n<\/p>\n The appointments formed part of the technical team that would work with him to secure Nigeria\u2019s qualification for the global tournament.\n<\/p>\n Busari\u2019s first major assignment was to take Nigeria through the African qualifying series, and he delivered.\n<\/p>\n According to the NFF\u2019s report published on July 11, 2026, titled Nigeria qualify for 2026 FIFA U17 Women\u2019s World Cup finals, the Flamingos defeated the Amazons of Benin Republic 5-3 in Lom\u00e9 to secure their place at the tournament.\n<\/p>\n Nigeria had won the first leg 3-2 in Ikenne, Ogun State, before completing a 8-5 aggregate victory in the return fixture.\n<\/p>\n Mary Dustan opened the scoring in the sixth minute in Lom\u00e9, while Esther Stephen and Queen Joseph also found the net. Joseph scored her second goal in the 76th minute to seal the 5-3 victory.<\/p>\n The result secured Nigeria\u2019s ticket to Morocco and gave Busari his first major achievement as head coach of the Flamingos.\n<\/p>\n With qualification secured, the coach began preparations for the tournament.\n<\/p>\n On August 28, 2026, the NFF announced that Busari had invited 26 players for the first phase of the team\u2019s final camping programme in Abuja.\n<\/p>\n The players were directed to report to Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja, on August 30.\n<\/p>\n The NFF subsequently published Busari\u2019s final 21-player squad on October 6, 2026, ahead of the competition.\n<\/p>\n The selected players included captain Harmony Chidi, defenders Elizabeth Adesuyi and Esther Stephen, midfielders Mary Dustan and Favour Nkwocha, and forwards Tosin Rafiu, Queen Joseph, Precious Oscar and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi.\n<\/p>\n The team departed Nigeria for Morocco on October 7, ahead of the tournament, which began on October 17.<\/p>\n The Flamingos did not have the perfect start to their campaign, losing 2-1 to Poland<\/a> in their opening group match on October 17. vl\n<\/p>\n However, they recovered with a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico<\/a> before defeating defending champions North Korea 3-1 on October 23 to advance to the knockout stage.\n<\/p>\n Nigeria subsequently defeated Mexico 2-1 in the Round of 16, edged Venezuela 1-0 in the quarter-finals and beat Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals to book their place in the final.\n<\/p>\nQualification secured in July<\/h3>\n
Preparing for the world stage<\/h3>\n
A difficult start, a historic finish<\/h3>\n