The Director-General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ₦100 million reward for each member of Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, as a bold statement on the value of sports and youth development in the country.

Shaibu in a statement by his media assistant Ben Ogbemudia, said the presidential gesture demonstrated the importance of recognising excellence and investing in young talents, adding that it would motivate upcoming athletes, particularly those at the grassroots, to pursue their sporting ambitions with greater determination, blueprint reports.

The rewards were announced on Wednesday, by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who represented the President at a special reception for the world champions at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Under the package, each Flamingos player is to receive a ₦100 million Federal Government savings certificate, with the funds to be preserved in trust through designated banks to secure their financial future.

The team’s head coach, Hakeem Busari, is to receive ₦100 million in cash, while each member of the technical crew will receive ₦50 million.

In his reaction, Shaibu described the decision as an example of leadership rewarding excellence, saying the recognition would send a strong message to young Nigerians that dedication, discipline and hard work in sports could attract national appreciation.

Shaibu: Reward will inspire grassroots athletes

The NIS Director-General said the reward went beyond the financial benefits to the players, noting that it represented an important recognition of sports as a tool for youth development and national progress.

According to him, rewarding the Flamingos would encourage young athletes across the country to take their sporting careers seriously and aspire to represent Nigeria at international competitions.

He maintained that the recognition of the players and their technical officials was capable of strengthening confidence in the country’s sports development system, particularly among young people who look up to national teams as examples of what they can achieve.

Shaibu’s commendation also comes amid renewed calls for sustained investment in grassroots sports, improved facilities, structured talent identification and better welfare for athletes.

The Flamingos’ achievement has drawn attention to the need to provide young footballers with opportunities to develop their abilities and progress through the national football structure.

First Lady urges champions to remain disciplined

At the Presidential Villa reception, Senator Oluremi Tinubu congratulated the players and officials for bringing honour to Nigeria through their performance at the tournament.

She urged the young footballers to remain focused, disciplined and humble as they move into the next stages of their football careers.

The First Lady also reminded them of their responsibility as ambassadors of Nigeria, encouraging them to sustain the values that helped them achieve success on the international stage.

The decision to place the players’ rewards in savings certificates was explained as a measure to protect their financial interests, considering their young ages.

Unlike the players, who will receive the ₦100 million awards through savings certificates, the head coach’s ₦100 million reward and the ₦50 million packages for members of the technical crew are cash incentives.

Flamingos make African football history

The Flamingos secured their place in football history after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday, November 7.

The victory made Nigeria the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since the competition was established.

The triumph also marked a significant moment for Nigerian women’s football, with the team overcoming several opponents on its way to the title and ending Africa’s long wait for the trophy.

Before the historic victory, the Flamingos’ best performance at the competition had been a third-place finish in 2010?

The 2026 triumph therefore represents a major improvement on the country’s previous campaigns and places the team among the winners of the global age-grade competition.

The achievement has attracted commendations from government officials, sports administrators and football stakeholders, with calls for the country to sustain the momentum by investing in the development of young female footballers.

Recognition raises expectations for sports development

Beyond the financial rewards, the Flamingos’ victory and the government’s response have renewed discussions about the place of sports in Nigeria’s youth development agenda.

For the NIS, which is responsible for sports training and the development of professional capacity in the sector, the achievement provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of structured training, coaching education and talent development.

The players’ success also demonstrates the potential of age-grade competitions to provide a pathway for young athletes to progress to higher levels of the game.

Shaibu’s position is that recognising such achievements can encourage more young people to embrace sports and see it as a viable path to personal development and national service.

The Flamingos’ historic achievement has consequently placed greater attention on the responsibility of sports institutions, football administrators and government agencies to ensure that the young champions receive the support required to build successful careers beyond the U-17 level.