Senate splashes N100m on Flamingos

Flamingos after World Cup triumph against Japan

The Senate has announced a N100m donation to Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national 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 their achievement.

Ningi described the victory as historic, 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 limited expectations surrounding the team before the competition.

The senator also expressed concern that the achievement had not received adequate publicity and national recognition, adding that the players deserved to be celebrated for bringing honour to Nigeria and Africa.

He further lamented the lack of sufficient official recognition for the team upon their return to the country.

Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo North) commended the Flamingos for defeating Japan in the final, describing their triumph as evidence of the potential and determination of Nigerian youths.

Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to recognise the country’s achievements rather than focus solely on its challenges. He also appealed to the Senate leadership to make a financial contribution to support the players’ educational pursuits alongside their sporting careers.

The Senate subsequently adopted Ningi’s prayers, congratulating President Bola Tinubu for his support for sports development, Nigerians on the historic victory and the leadership of the National Sports Commission, particularly its chairman, Shehu Dikko.

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It also urged the Federal Government to provide adequate rewards and compensation for the players in recognition of their achievement.

Akpabio described the triumph as a significant milestone for Nigeria and Africa, particularly given the Flamingos’ victories over established football nations, including Brazil and Japan.

He called on the Federal Government to adequately reward the players and urged the Nigeria Football Federation to sustain the team and continue developing the youngsters for future competitions.

The Senate President also appealed to wealthy and sports-loving Nigerians to support the players and encourage more young people to participate in sports.

He said the N100m donation by the National Assembly was intended to recognise the team’s achievement and motivate the players to continue bringing honour to the country.

“I want to commend the Flamingos, the U-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 victory.