On Thursday, the Technical and Development Sub-Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) recommended Justin Madugu to take over as head coach of the Super Falcons.
His appointment comes after the expiration of Randy Waldrum's contract, following the team's participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Madugu will lead the team along with the current backroom staff, pending the appointment of a permanent head coach.
This marks Madugu’s return to the role, having previously served as head coach before Waldrum and the NFF resolved their disputes, allowing the American coach to guide the Super Falcons through the final stage of Olympic qualification.
Who is Justin Madugu?
Justin Madugu, 60, is a seasoned football coach with a rich background in both national and club football in Nigeria.
A former footballer himself, Madugu holds CAF A and B coaching licenses. He also earned a distinction in coaching from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Lagos after completing a Diploma in 1995.
His other academic qualifications include multiple master’s degrees: an MSc in Sports Psychology and Sports Management from El-Roi London University, an MSc in Public Administration from the National Open University (NOUN), and other diplomas in Public Administration and Library Science from Bayero University, Kano.
Madugu has a wealth of experience coaching various club teams in Nigeria.
His career highlights include working as Chief Coach for Flying Makwada FC Numan, Adamawa United FC, and FC Taraba. Madugu also served as a Technical Adviser and Team Manager for Makwada Warriors and Makwada Queens.
National team coaching experience
Madugu’s national team coaching career spans over a decade.
He was appointed Assistant Coach of the Nigeria U-20 Women’s team in 2007, before moving to the Super Eagles B team in 2009. He later served as Assistant Coach for the Nigeria U-17 Women’s team (Flamingos) from 2009 to 2010.
Since 2012, Madugu has been part of the Super Falcons’ coaching staff, only being absent in 2016, 2017, and 2020.
Justin Madugu has extensive international experience, particularly in women’s football.
He has participated in four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournaments, winning two gold medals and securing two fourth-place finishes.
The 60 year-old also coached in the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago and the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile, where Nigeria reached the quarter-finals in both events.
Additionally, Madugu was part of the Super Falcons' coaching staff during the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups, the 2018 African Mini-Football Championship in Libya, and the WAFU-B Cup, which Nigeria won in 2019.
Madugu's most recent role with the Super Falcons involved leading the team in their two-legged Olympic qualifiers against Ethiopia and the WAFCON qualifiers against Cape Verde.
It is left to see if the Nigeria Football Federation will be able to get a coach in time for the 2024 WAFCON finals, set to take place in Morocco next summer.
