Though still treated unfairly at home—pay inequality, incompetence, and opposition for speaking out—Nigeria’s women athletes are dominating African sports.
While the national basketball team took their fifth straight AfroBasket title, the Super Falcons recently earned their tenth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Still, both sides have battled lengthy overdue or unpaid match incentives and insufficient sports authority backing.
Though the ladies get camp stipends, match bonuses—which are erratic—make up most of their income. The basketball team openly denounced unpaid bonuses in 2021. Officials held “clerical mistakes” responsible.
Early funding in women’s football and Nigeria’s great population help to explain the Super Falcons’ success. Still, preparations are disorganized; before the most recent WAFCON, they played only a handful of hastily planned friendlies.
Players are discouraged from evaluating the framework. Following their WAFCON triumph in Morocco, none answered media inquiries on equal pay. “Speaking out would blacklist you,” stated Solace Chukwu, editor of AfrikFoot.
Following the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Captain Desire Oparanozie spearheaded a demonstration about unpaid salaries. She was removed from her captaincy and left out of the 2022 team—though the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) claims this was not retribution.
Hope still exists despite obstacles. Point guard Promise Amukamara requested more funding and proposed Nigeria host a future AfroBasket. NFF official Aisha Falode reiterated the necessity of improved infrastructure and league help.
Inspired by Super Falcons player Asisat Oshoala, youngsters like 16-year-old Justina Oche find evidence in the team that “what a man can do, a woman can do even better.”
