Super Falcons head coach, Justin Madugu, has announced that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has renewed his contract for another two years, extending his tenure until 2027.
Following his team’s qualification for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-1 draw with Benin Republic in Abeokuta on Tuesday, which sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory, Madugu confirmed the development during the post-match press conference.
“I have been given a new contract from October 1, 2025, till October 1, 2027,” said the head coach, who led the Super Falcons to their 10th WAFCON title earlier this year.
He further shared his thoughts on the match, expressing overall satisfaction but admitting some disappointment with his team’s performance in the second half, as Benin gained momentum after scoring the equaliser.
“The draw didn’t come as a surprise because we knew it was going to be a tough game. It was not going to be an easy game based on what we knew about the Beninoise team,” Madugu said.
“However, I equally want to use this opportunity to apologise to Nigerians for not meeting their expectations. Each time the Super Falcons go out to play, there are always high expectations in terms of results and performance. Sometimes there can be off days, there can be bad days, and we want to consider today’s match from that perspective,” the 61-year-old added.
Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring for Nigeria with a powerful header from Esther Okoronkwo’s corner in the 12th minute, marking her first-ever goal for the Super Falcons. The Beninoise side levelled the score early in the second half, but Nigeria maintained composure and held on until the final whistle.
Despite the underwhelming draw, Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 WAFCON—set to take place from March 17 to April 3—was officially confirmed.
