Super Falcons captain and forward Rasheedat Ajibade has voiced her frustration over the continued delay in the payment of promised bonuses and allowances owed to the Nigerian women’s national football team.
Speaking in an upcoming episode of With Chude, hosted by Chude Jideonwo, Ajibade revealed that the team has yet to receive the $100,000 reward and other entitlements promised by the government, despite repeated assurances.
“We have not received our money. Please, they haven’t paid us,” she said. “All the promises you heard—nothing has reached us.”
Ajibade explained that although they’ve been told the funds were allocated, no payments have been made. “People are begging. Even our match bonuses are still pending. Everything is still a work in progress,” she added.
The 24-year-old urged authorities to honor their commitments, stressing that the delays are negatively affecting the players’ morale and well-being.
Following the Super Falcons’ record-breaking 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco, President Bola Tinubu had, in July 2024, announced a $100,000 cash reward for each player, along with additional bonuses.
Ajibade also reflected on her personal struggles, revealing that she spent 10 years playing for FC Robo Queens in the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) without receiving a salary. She described that period as “a tough moment.”
Growing up in Mushin, Lagos, in what she described as “a compound of almost 100 people,” Ajibade said she had to wash toilets and bathrooms for money to support herself.
Ajibade rose through the ranks at FC Robo Queens before moving to Norwegian side Avaldsnes IL at age 17. In 2021, she joined Atlético Madrid Femenino, where she currently plays.
