Winning the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) as head coach of the Super Falcons was the culmination of years of dedication and experience for Nigeria manager Justine Madugu. Having served in multiple coaching roles across different WAFCON campaigns - Equatorial Guinea 2012, Namibia 2014, Ghana 2018, Morocco 2022, and 2024 editions respectively- the 62-year-old finally guided Nigeria back to the summit of African women's football as the man in charge.
For Madugu, who holds a CAF A license and is currently a PhD student, the triumph represented more than just lifting a trophy. The Adamawa State-born tactician also recounted that it brought greater recognition, reinforced confidence in indigenous coaches, and reflected the importance of teamwork, discipline, and creating a united environment capable of overcoming adversity.
The title-winning campaign also showed the resilience of the Super Falcons, who stayed focused despite distractions and logistical challenges throughout the tournament. According to the coach, whose current two-year contract runs out in October 2027, maintaining belief and togetherness proved decisive in delivering success.
In this interview with CAFOnline.com, Madugu, who was historically nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or Women's Team Coach of the Year award, reflects on how WAFCON 2024 glory changed his life, also recounts his long association with the competition, discusses the obstacles faced during the campaign, and outlines his vision for keeping Nigeria at the pinnacle of African women's football.
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CAFOnline: Winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations was a career-defining achievement. How did you feel, and how has the success changed your life personally and professionally?
Justine Madugu: "It's always a good thing that each time you go out for an assignment and you succeed in getting whatever it is that you have gone out for. It is only natural that one will always feel very happy, considering the fact that it's a huge responsibility, and we all know what football means to Nigerians. For us to be shouldered with that kind of responsibility and eventually meet the aspirations of Nigerians was something we were quite happy about.
On a personal level, it also accorded us more recognition with various awards and appreciation by individuals, corporate organisations and even the government. Professionally, it gave us the belief that we can still do more, considering the fact that most times people don't tend to rate indigenous coaches or give them the respect they deserve. With what we were able to achieve, we built a reputation not only for indigenous coaches on the continent but even globally. My joy is that we have set the pace for our colleagues, and now we must continue building on it rather than making it look like a one-off achievement.
What has been the biggest difference in your daily life since lifting the trophy?
The difference in our daily lives is that all the appreciation that has come our way is something you will quite appreciate. It has elevated our status to a much higher level, and we must try as much as possible to ensure that we continue to act as role models to others who will be looking up to us based on what we have achieved.
"So, there's a huge burden on us. We need to be careful with what we do wherever we are because we must set a good example and try to be exemplary in everything we do.
Has the increased recognition changed the way you approach your responsibilities?
Certainly, when you get to levels like that, you will always have more recognition and everybody will want to identify with success for one reason or another. Some will be happy about it, while some may not be. I keep seeing many things being reported, but I am not somebody who can easily be distracted by anything.
I am always focused on whatever is ahead of me, I remain calm and I simply try to do the best I can with the responsibility that has been vested upon me.
How much of this success was down to teamwork rather than individual effort?
I equally want to appreciate my colleagues because everybody has been doing his best to ensure that we all do well. It's a collective effort and not something that one person can take the glory for. The players have done well and responded positively to everything that we do.
We try to create an environment where everybody has a sense of belonging. We operate more like a family, and that accounts for why the team was able to do well.
You mentioned creating a family atmosphere. How important was that behind the scenes?
It's not just about what happens on the field of play. What happens off the field is equally important, and we care so much about whatever happens to the players, not only within the team or on the field.
On personal issues, we try as much as possible to offer advice, counselling and whatever support is necessary to ensure they are always in the right frame of mind each time we go out to compete.
How have you related with fans, stakeholders and the wider football community since the triumph?
I try as much as possible to ensure that we maintain a very good relationship with everyone, especially stakeholders in football, because they also help in ensuring that the game develops in the country.
The fans are one thing that makes everybody happy in this country. When it comes to football, there is no tribe, there is no religion--we all become one because we are fighting a common cause. We try to maintain a good relationship with everyone. Criticisms are welcome when they are objective because they can be looked at, but when criticism comes because of sentiments, I don't have time to dwell on such issues.
Can you take us through your WAFCON journey before becoming head coach?
I have been an assistant coach for many years. In 2012, I worked under Coach Kadiri Ikhana in Equatorial Guinea. In 2014, I was recalled to assist Coach Edwin Okon alongside Coach Christopher Danjuma in Namibia, and that was the first WAFCON we won with indigenous coaches.
"After that, we went to the in2015 World Cup in Canada, where many home-based players eventually secured moves abroad. I later worked under Thomas Dennerby and Randy Waldrum in subsequent WAFCON 2018 and 2022 campaigns before eventually becoming head coach in 2024.
How different was winning the title as head coach compared to winning it as an assistant?
I had won the trophy twice as an assistant, and I was so happy because winning it as an assistant and winning it as the head coach of a team, there's a lot of difference. You are now on the driving seat. You have to take decisions. It's no longer an advisory role.
You must take responsibility for all your actions, good or bad. It was one of the most joyous and happiest moments of my career to have won it as the head coach of the Super Falcons.
What were the biggest challenges on the road to winning WAFCON 2024?
Challenges will always be there. There were a lot of distractions from different angles just to ensure that we lost focus, but we tried as much as possible to keep everybody focused before and during the Nations Cup.
Even when we got to Morocco, accommodation was an issue and there were financial matters, but we didn't allow any of those things to distract us because we knew what we were there for. The players remained focused, and the harmonious environment we created between the technical crew, backroom staff and players ensured that we did well.
During those difficult moments, did you ever doubt that the team could achieve its goal?
To be frank, from the beginning of the tournament we believed in ourselves, we believed in what we were doing and we trusted the players we took to the Nations Cup.
That is not to say everything was rosy. We had hiccups here and there, and especially in the final against Morocco, playing the host nation with all the pressure involved was not easy. But we kept faith, the players believed in us, they believed in what the team could do, and that trust was one of the reasons we succeeded.
What leadership lessons did the campaign teach you?
As a leader, you must make sacrifices. You must provide direction. You must know your goal, what you hope to achieve and how you are going to achieve it.
"You must carry everybody along and create a platform where everyone keys into what you are doing. When everybody shares the same goal and believes in it collectively, they see the mission as their own rather than somebody else's responsibility.
Where do you believe the Super Falcons still need to improve to remain Africa's leading team?
We are not a perfect team yet. We have made a lot of observations in the course of the pre-WAFCON matches we played and even during the WAFCON itself. We have analysed many areas that we know we need to work on.
"But these are technical areas that we will keep to ourselves while we continue working on them. The important thing is that we recognise there is always room for improvement and we will continue striving to make the team better.
Looking ahead, what are your priorities for WAFCON 2026?
The next WAFCON will also serve as qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, so our priority will first be to ensure that we make it to the World Cup. The second goal will be to defend the trophy and bring it back to Nigeria.
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"We know it won't be easy because as champions everybody will now be looking at us. We are holding something precious that everybody wants, but we will remain resolute and focused and try as much as possible to achieve both objectives.
WAFCON has expanded to 16 teams. What does this mean for women's football development on the continent?
For me, it is a very positive development because expanding WAFCON to 16 teams allows more countries to experience the competition and showcase the progress they have made in developing women's football.
It will also help grow the game across the continent because more nations will have the chance to measure themselves against the best, assess their level of investment, and identify areas where they can improve. Beyond the teams, it creates a bigger platform for players to showcase their abilities, improve their careers, and attract more opportunities.
The expansion will also encourage more investment in women's football because people will be able to see the level of work being done across different countries and understand the importance of supporting the growth of the women's game.
Looking ahead, what is your message to Nigerians and what legacy do you hope to leave in women's football?My message is for everyone to continue believing in themselves, continue working hard, and make the best use of every opportunity that comes their way.
Whenever you have the opportunity to represent Nigeria, you must understand that you are not representing only yourself. You represent your teammates, coaches, and the entire football community in the country and on the continent. We must continue to support one another and work collectively.
One of the most defining moments for me was seeing the joy and happiness the Super Falcons' WAFCON victory brought to Nigerians. For that period, people celebrated, smiled, and felt united because of the team's success. That showed the power of football and the impact the women's game can have.
The legacy I want to leave is to be remembered as someone who contributed positively to the development of sports, especially women's football in Nigeria and beyond. I appreciate every opportunity given to me, I do not take it for granted, and I will continue to give my best so that I am remembered for the right reasons.
