Nigeria sportswomen dominate again but pay remains an issue

As Nigerian women, who predominate in other sports on the continent, are competing against top talent from abroad, with a culture of mismanagement, pay disparities, and even the possibility of being reprimanded for speaking out.

Nigeria recently captured their fifth consecutive championship at the continent’s top hardwood basketball competition, Women’s AfroBasket, while last month the Super Falcons won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) football title.

However, the football team’s successes have been made when they are paid at all despite pay disparities compared to their male counterparts.

The majority of the women’s pay comes from per-match bonuses, which vary depending on the team’s results, despite receiving training camp allowances.

Despite their reputations as arguably the best teams on the continent, both the women’s basketball and football teams have experienced late or unpaid match bonuses for years.

None of the players, however, eluded questioning from an AFP reporter in the press scrum about being paid the same as the men’s team when the Super Falcons arrived in Abuja following their 3-2 win over hosts Morocco last month.

Following their victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria’s Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie arrive at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja.

The question was deemed useless by Nigerian journalists present because it was far too politically charged.

According to Solace Chukwu, senior editor at Afrik-Foot Nigeria, “speaking up against what’s happening completely eliminates the chance of getting what you’re entitled to,” you could be blacklisted.

Not that there won’t be conflicts: Basketball players called out the authorities when they won the game in 2021 in protest of unpaid match bonuses.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation at the time blamed clerical errors for the situation, and at the time, denied any wrongdoing.

Jackie Young of USA (L) and Ezinne Kalu of Nigeria (R) in action during the Women Quarterfinal game Nigeria vs USA of the Basketball competitions in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — In action at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games basketball competitions are Ezinne Kalu and Jackie Young of Team USA, left.

The women’s football team, like the basketball team, has had remarkable success thanks to a diaspora-heavy diaspora and a population of more than 200 million, which is the largest on the continent.

According to Chukwu, they also benefited from early investments in women’s football when other African nations concentrated on men’s teams, helping the Super Falcons win the WAFCON’s first seven games between 1991 and 2006.

Yet they only played a small number of test matches before making their final-minute comeback plans for this year’s competition in Morocco.

Despite mismanagement and disinterest from the authorities, the Super Falcons have not remained silent.

However, it seems as though doing too much rocking the boat will cost.

Players who take the initiative or dare to protest “always run the risk of not being invited or completely sidelined,” according to Harrison Jalla, a union official.

She was removed from her position as captain and not called up for the 2022 tournament after leading protests led by former Super Falcons captain Desire Oparanozie, who is now a commentator.

Former men’s coach Sunday Oliseh, who was fired from the national team in early 2000s as a result of protests over backpay, described the situation as “criminal” retaliation.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) at the time denied dropping Oparanozie due to the protests.

According to an AFP request for comment, the Super Falcons and the NFF did not respond to the allegations that players were hesitant to speak up.

Senegal's Cierra Dillard, right, and Nigeria's Promise Amukamara chase a loose ball during a Women's Olympic Qualifying group A basketball match — Before the Paris 2024 Games, Nigeria’s Promise Amukamara and Senegal’s Cierra Dillard, left, chase a loose ball in a group A match between the women’s Olympic qualifying team members.

Women’s sports continue to grow in players’ minds.

Fresh off her AfroBasket victory, Nigerian point guard Promise Amukamara told AFP in Abuja, “I think the sky is the limit.”

“Nigeria should obviously have more facilities built around it. Perhaps once a year, we should host the AfroBasket.

Meanwhile, NFF official Aisha Falode urged the government to “invest in the facilities, invest in the leagues, and the players, because the women’s game can no longer be taken lightly.”

Despite the difficulties, younger fans continue to support women’s sport.

Justina Oche, 16, a player at an Abuja football academy, claimed her exploits had spurred her on to pursue a career in the sport.

The youngster, whose role model is Asisat Oshoala, six-time African Footballer of the Year, said, “They say what a man can do, a woman can do even better.”