The Nigerian Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s $150,000 reward to the Super Falcons, citing the team’s remarkable achievements at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and comparing it to the ₦150 million prize given to winners of the popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija).
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, addressed criticism surrounding the generous gifts on Tuesday. In a social media post, Onanuga argued that some Nigerians fail to appreciate the President’s decision to honour the women’s national football team.
“When you remember that Multichoice, the organizer of the BBNaija reality show, is offering the winner ₦150 million grand prize, you wonder why some Nigerians are unappreciative of President Tinubu’s rewards to the Super Falcons,” Onanuga posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He added that Tinubu’s gesture celebrated “excellence, creativity, hard work, soccer artistry and the undying Nigerian spirit.”
The controversy follows Monday’s ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where President Tinubu hosted the WAFCON champions. During the event, each player received:
- $100,000 in cash (approx. ₦153 million),
- A national honour – Member of the Order of the Niger (OON), and
- A three-bedroom house.
Additionally, each member of the technical team was awarded $50,000 (₦75.6 million).
While many Nigerians celebrated the Super Falcons’ historic 10th WAFCON title win in Morocco — including a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down against the host nation — others questioned the scale of the reward amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic hardship.
Nonetheless, the Presidency maintained that the gifts were a deserving token of national pride and a tribute to the resilience and skill the team displayed on the international stage.
