The Senate has approved a ₦100 million donation to Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, in recognition of their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the donation during plenary on Tuesday while presiding over a motion moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (ADC, Bauchi Central), seeking to congratulate the team on its remarkable achievement.
Moving the motion, Ningi described the Flamingos’ victory as a historic milestone, noting that the young players had accomplished what several other Nigerian national teams had struggled to achieve.
He said the triumph was particularly remarkable given the relatively low expectations surrounding the team before the tournament.
The senator, however, expressed concern that the players had not received adequate publicity and national recognition for their achievement, despite bringing honour to Nigeria and the African continent.
He also lamented the apparent lack of sufficient official recognition accorded the team upon its return to the country.
Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) praised the players for defeating Japan in the final, describing their performance as a testament to the talent, determination and potential of Nigerian youths.
Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to celebrate the country’s achievements rather than concentrate exclusively on its challenges.
He also appealed to the Senate leadership to support the players financially, particularly to enable them to pursue their education alongside their sporting careers.
The Senate subsequently adopted the motion, congratulating President Bola Tinubu on his support for sports development, Nigerians on the historic victory and the leadership of the National Sports Commission, particularly its Chairman, Shehu Dikko.
It also called on the Federal Government to adequately reward the players in recognition of their outstanding performance.
In his remarks, Akpabio described the Flamingos’ victory as a major achievement for Nigeria and Africa, particularly their impressive run against established football nations, including Brazil and Japan.
He urged the Federal Government to ensure that the players received appropriate rewards, while calling on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep the team together and invest in their further development.
The Senate President also appealed to wealthy Nigerians and sports enthusiasts to support the players and encourage more young people to embrace sporting activities.
He said the ₦100 million donation by the National Assembly was intended to appreciate 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 Africa for the first time 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 accomplishment, describing the victory as a source of national pride.
