Since Nigeria first entered continental and global football tournaments in 1991, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has consistently appointed male coaches to lead the nation’s teams.

From the Super Falcons to the Flamingoes, the story has remained largely the same. For the Super Falcons, only twice have women been given the opportunity to lead the team: Uche Eucharia and Florence Omagbemi. Both times, these women coaches led the team to victory in the African Women’s Nations Cup (AWCON) and secured World Cup qualifications for Nigeria. Eucharia took the team to the World Cup, while Omagbemi was unable to continue after the team’s victory in Cameroon due to challenges following their win.

The achievements of these women coaches speak volumes—of Nigeria’s nine AWCON titles, two were won under female leadership. This record highlights the impact of women in these roles and suggests it may be time to prioritize more women coaches in leading Nigeria’s women football teams
Starting from the Super Falcons to the Flamingoes, it has been the same old stories. 

At the junior cadre, Women Coaches have not been given the opportunity to lead the teams. In all, we have only gone to the finals of the U20 and third place of the U17. In all these, Women Coaches assisted the men. Box 18 believes that the time has come for the Women Coaches to take over the headship of our Women National teams starting from the Junior cadre for now. At the last U20 and U17 World Cup, Nigeria was among the three countries that came to the tournaments with Male coaches. The trend is changing and we must follow suit. 

The impact of women's football in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized , as the Women have made significant strides in the game. 

The numerous wins of the Super Falcons in African championships, the impact of the Falconets as one of the few countries that have attended all editions of the U20 World Cup, and that of the U17  on the global stage cannot be wished away by wave of hands.

 However, despite this progress, it still remains a glaring oversight that the scarcity of women coaches leading the national teams is becoming worrisome. 

Box 18  argues that women coaches are essential for Nigeria's women's football development, considering the benefits, possible challenges, that accrued with that. 

It is a know fact that  Women coaches serve as inspirations  to the young girls that they too can lead and succeed in football, especially those who have exceled in the game. The younger ones will learn faster from them and their progression becomes faster.  Women coaches can better comprehend the unique challenges and experiences of female players, fostering a supportive team environment. Women coaches bring diverse coaching styles and philosophies to their their teams, thereby enriching the sport. They  focus on technical and tactical growth, helping players reach their full potential in time. Many countries like the United States, Germany, and Norway because of the peculiar nature of the Women, have successfully integrated women coaches in their football system, thereby demonstrating improved performance and competitiveness.

The major challenges facing the Women Coaches is the limited coaching positions and scarce resources which hinders their access to coaching education and training. Good enough, the NFF had recently taken the bull by the horn, by organizing the first only Women CAF license course  in the country. The Societal perceptions and gender bias which discourages women from pursuing coaching careers is another factor. Insufficient financial support for women's football development programs and coaching initiatives is another, as male coaches have easy access to money than the Women. 

Nigeria's women's football future depends on empowering women coaches. By addressing challenges and implementing solutions, the Nigerian Football Federation can start immediately by developing a pipeline for qualified women coaches to take over the headship of our Women National teams. By embracing women coaches, Nigeria can revolutionize its women's football landscape, fostering a culture of inclusivity, excellence, and success.