Nigeria’s Flamingos ended their 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup campaign in style, defeating Togo 4-0 in the final on Sunday to lift the regional title in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
From the opening whistle, Nigeria looked determined to finish a remarkable campaign with another commanding performance. By the end of the afternoon, Akeem Busari’s side had not only secured the trophy but had completed a perfect tournament, winning all five of their matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just two.
Captain Chidera Harmony set the tone for the final.
Nigeria’s pressure was eventually told in the 15th minute when Oluwakemi Adegbuyi was brought down inside the Togo penalty area. Harmony stepped forward and confidently converted the resulting spot-kick to put the Flamingos ahead.
The captain was back at the penalty spot 20 minutes later after Adegbuyi was again fouled inside the box. Once again, Harmony showed her composure, converting in the 35th minute to give Nigeria a 2-0 lead before the interval.
Togo needed a response after the break, but Nigeria remained in control and continued to dictate the game.
The Flamingos added a third in the 67th minute when substitute Oluebube Umejiaku found the net, effectively putting the contest beyond Togo’s reach.
There was still time for Adegbuyi to get the reward her performance deserved. The forward completed the scoring in the 90th minute, sealing a 4-0 victory and sending the Nigerian players into celebrations.
The final victory was the perfect conclusion to a dominant run.
Nigeria had opened the competition with a 5-0 victory over Niger before producing an impressive 4-2 win against Ghana. They then defeated Burkina Faso 2-0 and followed it up with another 2-0 victory over hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
Five matches, five wins and only two goals conceded told the story of Nigeria’s superiority throughout the tournament.
The triumph also saw the Flamingos take the crown away from Ghana, who had won the inaugural edition of the competition in 2024.
For Harmony, the achievement carried special meaning after Nigeria successfully navigated a demanding campaign.
“We are so proud of what we have achieved. It is not easy to win all five matches. Our main achievement is beating Ghana and the hosts, Côte d’Ivoire,” the Flamingos captain said.
The Nigeria Football Federation also recognised the significance of the team’s perfect record. Acting general secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme praised the players while pointing to the tournament’s importance as part of their preparations for the next stage of their development.
“It is no mean feat to win five matches out of five in a tournament. That is a distinction,” Ikpeme said.
Now, the Flamingos’ attention turns away from West Africa and towards Morocco, where they will compete at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group B alongside defending champions North Korea, Puerto Rico and Poland, with the global tournament scheduled to run from October 17 to November 7/8.
The WAFU B trophy gives Busari’s young side a confidence boost and valuable competitive experience ahead of the World Cup. After scoring freely and maintaining a strong defensive record throughout the regional competition, the Flamingos will now look to carry that momentum onto the global stage.
The regional crown is secured. The perfect run is complete. Now, the Flamingos have their sights set on Morocco and another opportunity to make Nigeria proud.
