Trending 
President Bola Tinubu has rewarded members of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, with National Government Savings Bonds valued at N100 million each following their historic FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup victory.
The team’s coach also received a savings certificate worth N100 million, while each member of the technical crew was given N50 million in cash.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu announced the rewards on Wednesday when she hosted the players and their officials on behalf of the President at a reception at the State House in Abuja.
The Flamingos recently became the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, said the decision to reward the players through savings bonds rather than direct cash payments was intended to safeguard their financial future, given that most of them are still teenagers.
“There is no need to flood them with money that can distort their career,” Dikko said.
He explained that the bonds would run for five years and attract annual interest of between 12 and 14 per cent, providing the players with regular returns to support their education, training and other needs.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Receives Victorious Flamingos at The State House on Behalf of President Bola Tinubu. https://t.co/nl4RpVJ9ou
— UNCLE DEJI™️ (@DejiAdesogan) November 11, 2026
According to him, the arrangement would allow the players to access the principal when they are older and better positioned to make financial decisions.
“I don’t think there is any father that wants to give his 16-year-old, 15-year-old, N100m at this age.
“But you can invest for your 16-year-old so that at 20 they will have money to set their life.
“That’s basically what the president has done at this moment, which is unprecedented,” he said.
Dikko added that the interest payments would provide the players with a steady source of income during the five-year period.
He also addressed plans for the team’s future, saying the retention of the players and coaching staff would depend on how many members of the current squad remain eligible for the next U-17 competition.
“We have to look at how many of these girls are still available for the next U-17.
“If more are still under that age, they can play the next one; better you keep the coach at this level. If they are moving to the U-21, better they go with their coach to do that,” he said.
