The sports ministry boss vowed to garner support for the women’s league after watching Rivers Angels emerge champions
The Nigeria Women’s Football League board has been assured of the needed support to gain sponsorship for the Nigeria Women’s Premier League by the country’s sports minister Sunday Dare.
The Nigeria women’s top-flight winded up the 2018/2019 season with the Super Four final won by Rivers Angels after a 1-0 triumph over Confluence Queens on Sunday.
Cecilia Nku’s effort from the spot three minutes into the contest against the Lokoja based side was all Edwin Okon’s side required to win their first league title since 2016 and their fifth success in history.
The sports ministry boss, who attended the NWPL Super Four final at Agege Stadium, hailed the quality of the competition displayed by the teams and the league’s improving standards.
“I am impressed by what I have seen today, we have seen female professional football at its best,” Dare told the media.
“The question should be, with this level of professional skills we have seen on display today, what would the ministry do more to help them?
“We’ve seen the exhibition of talents, we know some of our footballers are headed for the Professional League outside of this country.
“All I can say is that the Sports Ministry would partner with the Nigeria Football Federation and we will also try to see that we get the sponsorship to support them to do better.
“We will meet with all the key stakeholders before the end of November to start to draw a strategic plan on how to improve the domestic league.
“As I said earlier, it is very critical, it is the engine room of our football development, that’s where we produce our professional players that can go abroad.
“So we are going to pay close attention working with the NFF, the club owners and the referees and coaches to isolate the issues and deal with them.”
On account of emerging champions, Rivers Angels got three million Naira as prize money and a training tour of Spain courtesy of La Liga.
Runners-up Confluence Queens and third-placed winners Bayelsa Queens, who thrashed Adamawa Queens 4-0 got two and one million naira respectively.
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