Women’s Empowerment Takes Center Stage At 2026 FAME Foundation Football Tourney

The ninth edition of the FAME Foundation Women’s Day Football Tournament, held on Friday at the Area 3 Mini Pitch in Abuja, served as a vibrant platform to advocate for greater women’s empowerment in Nigeria.

Ms. Rinsola Abiola, Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), a prominent figure at the event, emphasized the multifaceted approaches required to uplift women across various sectors.

In an interview with journalists during the tournament, Ms. Abiola outlined several key strategies for empowering women. “There are many other ways to empower women,” she stated, “through education, through finance, through gender-responsive budgeting, through empowerment grants and loans for our women.” She stressed the importance of considering diverse social factors to facilitate easier access to finance for women, and highlighted the critical role of legal protections in safeguarding women’s rights and opportunities.

Beyond financial and educational avenues, Ms. Abiola underscored the significance of leadership development. “It’s also very key that our women are prioritized,” she asserted, advocating for “programs that help them in terms of mentorship, in terms of capacity building, to encourage our women to take… more active roles in building our society and building our nation.” This focus on nurturing leadership skills aims to equip women to contribute more substantially to national development.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the tournament, Ms. Abiola praised the active participation of women on the field. “It’s very beautiful to see our women being active. It’s very key to be active instead of being healthy,” she remarked, highlighting the positive impact of physical activity. She further celebrated Nigeria’s reputation as a major exporter of sporting talent, with a significant number of these athletes being women. “It’s very good to see that we have so many young women also still in the pipeline, developing their talents, contributing to the development of sports and gender empowerment of the country.”

Ms. Abiola concluded by commending the organizers of the event. “Personally, I’m very happy and I’m very enthused. And again, I would like to commend FAME Foundation, ably led by Arabinrin Aderonke, for bringing everyone together and putting this very beautiful event together.” The tournament not only showcased athletic prowess but also reinforced the ongoing commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for Nigerian women.