Akeem Busari has been named the new head coach of Nigeria's U17 women's national team, the Flamingos, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed. He takes over from Bankole Olowookere, who guided the team to third place at the 2022 U17 Women's World Cup in India. Busari is currently in charge of Pacesetter Queens of Ibadan, a club side, and will now lead the Flamingos in their quest to qualify for the 2024 U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. The qualifying campaign begins in May when Nigeria faces the winner of the preliminary tie between Niger Republic and Guinea.
Replacing a coach who delivered a third-place finish at a World Cup is a tall order, and promoting from within the domestic women's league signals a shift in strategy. Busari's appointment suggests the NFF is prioritizing grassroots continuity over external experience. That could either strengthen local development or limit tactical growth, depending on how he performs under global pressure.
