Akeem Ishola Busari has made an impressive start to his tenure as head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, guiding the young Nigerians to the 2026 WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup title with a perfect record.
READ ALSO: Flamingos Get Very Strong Tip To Excel At 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
Appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in April 2026, Busari succeeded Bankole Olowookere, who etched his name in Nigerian football history by leading the Flamingos to a bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
Sports247 reports tha, Busari arrived with considerable coaching experience across both men’s and women’s football.
The CAF A-licensed coach previously served as Technical Adviser of Pacesetter Queens FC in Ibadan and has worked with clubs including Shooting Stars, Crown FC, Gateway United, Bayelsa Queens, Espoir FC and JSP Benin. He also served as Technical Director of Bayelsa Queens.
Known for an energetic and proactive approach, Busari has built teams around high pressing, quick transitions and attacking football — qualities that have been evident in the Flamingos’ recent performances.
His impact was particularly clear during the WAFU-B tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria opened their campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Niger Republic, before producing one of the tournament’s standout results with a 4-2 win over Ghana.
The Flamingos maintained their perfect run with a 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso, followed by another 2-0 triumph against hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
The final provided a fitting conclusion to the campaign. Nigeria defeated Togo 4-0, with captain Harmony Chidi scoring twice from the penalty spot before Oluebube Umejiaku and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi completed the scoring.
The five victories gave Busari a remarkable start at the helm: five matches, five wins, 17 goals scored and only two conceded.
Beyond the immediate success, the WAFU-B triumph serves as valuable preparation for the Flamingos’ next major assignment — the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group B alongside Poland, Puerto Rico and Korea DPR, with their campaign scheduled to begin against Poland on October 17.
With the WAFU-B trophy now secured, Busari’s attention turns to the global stage, where he will be tasked with continuing the Flamingos’ development and building on Nigeria’s proud record in women’s youth football.
