The Super Falcons of Nigeria, fresh from their historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title victory, presented a formal letter to MTN Nigeria on August 5, 2025, in Lagos, thanking the telecommunications company for its visible support throughout the tournament and beyond.
The letter, signed by team captain Rasheedat Ajibade, came days after MTN Nigeria hosted a breakfast reception in honour of the team’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Morocco in the WAFCON 2024 final. The event, held in Lagos, also saw MTN reward the players and technical crew with a total sum of 150 million naira.
MTN, the official telecommunications partner of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), allocated 115 million naira to the players and 35 million to the coaching and support staff. During the reception, MTN CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola praised the team’s determination, noting that the company’s investment in Nigerian football had been fruitful.
In the letter, the Super Falcons, now 10-time WAFCON champions, described MTN’s role as more than sponsorship. In their message, they referenced the company’s presence throughout their journey, from pre-tournament preparation to the warm reception at MTN’s Ikoyi headquarters, and the public celebration upon their return from Morocco.
Ajibade stated that the victory belonged not only to the team but to Nigerians everywhere, and to those who have continued to support women’s football. She also emphasized that the win marked a stepping stone, not a final destination, stressing the team’s desire to compete and succeed on the global stage.
MTN’s partnership with the NFF has included support for both male and female teams, grassroots football programs and national-level competitions. Toriola reaffirmed this commitment during the event, saying the company was proud of its role in advancing gender representation in sports and corporate leadership.
The letter from the Falcons framed the MTN-hosted celebrations as a symbol of shared national pride and a reminder of the power of visibility and belief in female athletes. The team called for continued collaboration across sectors to build a stronger, lasting legacy for women’s football in Nigeria.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria stated at the breakfast reception, “The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won 10 times. This is no small feat. It is a testament to how determined Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes us, even we women, proud.”