Super Falcons head coach, Justin Madugu, has revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given him a new two-year contract, extending his stay until 2027.

Shortly after leading the 10-time African champions to qualify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in a 1-1 draw with the Benin Republic in Abeokuta on Tuesday, which resulted in a 3-1 aggregate victory, Madugu disclosed the development in the post-match conference.

“I have been given a new contract from October 1, 2025, till October 1, 2027,” said the head coach, who guided the Super Falcons to their 10th WAFCON title this year.

He also added his comments on the match, stressing that he was satisfied but not too happy with the performance in the second half as the Beninoise gained momentum after 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 gave Nigeria the lead with a strong header from Esther Okoronkwo’s corner in the 12th minute, scoring her first-ever goal for the Super Falcons. The Amazons scored the equaliser some minutes into the second half but the home team held on to the final whistle.

Nigeria’s spot in the 2026 WAFCON, which is scheduled to take place from March 17 to April 3, was confirmed despite the lacklustre draw. (VANGUARD)