Asisat Oshoala has publicly taken aim at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over what she describes as the unequal treatment of the Super Falcons compared to the Super Eagles.
The five-time African Women’s Player of the Year decried the persistent gender pay gap and the systemic neglect of Nigeria’s women’s national football team despite their achievements on the global stage.
“Doing the Same Job… But Paid Less”
Oshoala, who has won multiple league titles across Europe and is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most successful footballers, spoke bluntly about the disparities in pay and promotion between the men’s and women’s national teams.
“When it comes to like investing, people think the men deserve more money than the women, but doing the same job and giving the same thing, we are also entertaining,” she said.
The 29-year-old forward questioned the logic behind the financial imbalance:
“So I see no reason why you think or anyone would think someone deserves to be paid much more than me.”
NFF’s Excuse? “The Men Bring in More Money”
Oshoala didn’t shy away from addressing the common counterargument from the NFF regarding the revenue gap between the two national teams.
“The argument from the Federation is always like, oh, when the men go to the World Cup, they bring in more money,” she said.
“So automatically they think you don’t deserve to be paid equally because we make more money of the male team than the women’s side.”
But for Oshoala, that reasoning only tells half the story — and ignores the Federation’s own failings in promoting the women’s game.
“There’s a Way You Project Your Team…”
“I’m not arguing that with them either, but I’m just saying there’s a way you project your team that you can make more money,” Oshoala argued.
Using a clear comparison, Oshoala pointed to how the Super Eagles are consistently marketed and promoted in ways that the Super Falcons are not — from online hype to physical banners and advertisements.
“Super Eagles, if they have a game, it’s all over the social media, it’s everywhere, the banners everywhere ,” she lamented.
“However, if the Super Falcons have a game, you barely see one post on social media.”
A Call for Respect, Investment, and Equality
Asisat Oshoala reflects on growing frustration within the Super Falcons camp, many of whom have long suffered unequal pay, poor travel arrangements, and minimal promotion.
The Bay FC forward message is that the issue is not just about money, but about respect, visibility, and investment.
With proper promotion and support, the women’s team could not only match but potentially exceed current financial returns.
