Omidiran Urges Sustained Investment in Women’s Football After Flamingos’ Historic World Cup Triumph
Oru Leonard
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has celebrated Nigeria’s Flamingos following their historic triumph at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, describing the victory as a landmark achievement that underscores the immense potential of Nigerian female footballers.
Omidiran said the team’s success was a source of national pride and demonstrated the talent, resilience and determination of young Nigerian girls to compete and excel at the highest level of international football.
In a congratulatory statement, the FCC chairman commended the players, coaching crew, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other stakeholders who contributed to the team’s outstanding performance.
She also acknowledged the contributions of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu towards promoting women’s empowerment and the development of the girl-child, while applauding the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its leadership in advancing sports development in the country.
Omidiran, a former member of the NFF Board and FIFA Women’s Football Committee, described the achievement as an opportunity to reposition women’s football in Nigeria through sustained investment and deliberate talent development.
According to her, the triumph must not end with celebrations but should inspire a comprehensive strategy to identify, nurture and develop young female football talents across the country.
She stressed the need to establish a structured development pathway that would enable promising players to progress from grassroots football to the national youth teams, including the Flamingos and Falconets, and eventually the senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons.
Omidiran, who is also the Founder of the Girls Play Sports Initiative, called for a properly funded national framework that prioritises grassroots scouting, school competitions, youth development, coaching education, player welfare, sports science and improved sporting infrastructure.
She maintained that sustainable success in women’s football requires investment beyond national team preparations, noting that a vibrant domestic league, functional football academies, qualified coaches and regular competitive opportunities are critical to producing world-class players.
The two-time former chairman of the NFF Women’s Football Development Committee also advocated stronger support for women’s football clubs and academies, improved playing facilities and expanded grassroots programmes to ensure that talented girls, irrespective of their social or economic backgrounds, have equal opportunities to pursue professional football careers.
She further identified the proposed FIFA U-15 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to commence in 2027, as another opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen its youth development structure and prepare the next generation of female football stars.
Omidiran urged football authorities and relevant stakeholders to commence preparations early, stressing that the competition should be viewed as an avenue for building a sustainable pipeline of young talents rather than merely another international tournament.
She noted that Nigeria must create an environment where young girls can confidently pursue their football ambitions, knowing that there are functional structures to support their development and progression.
The FCC chairman said the Flamingos’ achievement should serve as an inspiration to thousands of girls in schools, communities and football academies across the country.
She urged stakeholders to translate the historic victory into concrete policies, programmes and investments that would secure a stronger future for women’s football in Nigeria.
(FCC, Media Abuja November 8, 2026)
