Blankson Salutes Madam Nkechi Obi’s Legacy in Women’s Football

Madam Nkechi Obi’s tenure as Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has drawn widespread praise for its transformational impact. Under her leadership, great strides were made in expanding, professionalising, and raising the visibility of women’s football across Nigeria. Many who closely followed the development of the women’s game including administrators like Blankson have commended her for changing the landscape in ways that will outlast her term.

During her two year service, Obi launched the Women’s Football Rising campaign, oversaw the expansion of the Premiership and Championship leagues, refined the grassroots structure via the conversion of the nationwide league into a States League, and increased player welfare and financial transparency. She also secured live broadcasts of marquee matches, boosting fan engagement and sponsorship interest.

Blankson, among others, has described her leadership as “one of vision, integrity, and foundational growth.” He noted that Obi’s reforms have not only altered how the league is run, but re-energised belief among clubs, players, coaches, and supporters that women’s football in Nigeria has a sustainable, rising future.

Editorial

We believe Nkechi Obi’s leadership in the NWFL will be seen as a watershed era one where ambition and structure replaced uncertainty where visibility and investment became expected, not exceptional. It takes courage to begin reform in a league long used to compromises, and even more to follow through when the rewards aren’t always immediate. Madam Obi did both.

Her work reminds us that visibility live broadcasts, streaming, digital presence—is not just about prestige. It’s a sine qua non for sponsorship, fan growth, and the attractiveness of the league for young talent. When players know their games will be seen, their efforts rewarded in more ways than just a match on the pitch, motivation rises.

But legacy is more than metrics. It’s about creating frameworks governance codes, financial accountability, decent minimum wages, fairer club participation that endure even after one board steps down. If the next administrators uphold these standards, Obi’s contributions won’t merely be remembered; they will have become the backbone of continual progress.

We expect that the foundation she has laid will be built upon: with more committed stakeholders, strengthened club structures, better youth development pathways, and deeper corporate partnerships. Obi’s legacy is not a finish line—it is a starting line for a better era of women’s football in Nigeria.

Did You Know?

1. Under Nkechi Obi’s leadership, the NWFL Premiership expanded from 14 clubs to 20 for the 2025/26 season.
2. The second-tier Championship League was also doubled in size, and the grassroots Nationwide League was restructured into a States League involving over 150 teams across 30 states.
3. When Obi assumed chairmanship, the NWFL was running a deficit of more than ₦25 million, but during her term, the league turned that into a surplus.
4. Player welfare improved significantly: the minimum wage in the league rose from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000 under her board.
5. For the first time, all Super 6 matches of the Premiership were broadcast live for two consecutive seasons under her oversight, increasing the profile of women’s football nationwide.