Rasheedat Ajibade: Super Falcons captain launches scholarship for grassroots coaches
Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade has taken a significant step towards strengthening the foundation of Nigerian football with the launch of a coaching scholarship programme designed to empower grassroots coaches across the country.
The Nigerian international, who recently completed a move to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, unveiled the Rasheedat Ajibade Foundation NIS Coaching Education Scholarship, an initiative aimed at providing grassroots coaches with access to professional certification through the National Institute for Sports (NIS) in Lagos.
Ajibade's journey to the top of world football began on local pitches in Nigeria, where she was nurtured by grassroots coaches before rising through the ranks at FC Robo and eventually becoming captain of the Super Falcons. It is that personal experience that has inspired her latest intervention.
The forward believes that while considerable attention is often placed on discovering young talents, not enough is being done to equip the coaches responsible for developing them.
According to Ajibade, the rapid evolution of modern football has left many grassroots coaches without access to the training and educational opportunities needed to keep pace, despite their vital role in shaping future stars.
Rather than focusing solely on establishing an academy, the former Atlético Madrid player has chosen to invest directly in those who influence countless players throughout their careers.
Sharing the motivation behind the initiative, Ajibade reflected on the impact her own grassroots coach had on her development.
"I am a product of a grassroots coach. Someone who showed up for me with no resources, no recognition, just pure belief that I could become something great," she wrote on X.
"And I did. By God's grace, I play for PSG Féminines and I captain the Super Falcons of Nigeria. But as my career grew, I started to notice something that broke my heart."
She highlighted the challenges faced by coaches working tirelessly in communities across Nigeria, often with limited resources and little formal support.
"The coaches doing this work every single day across Nigeria, on grassroots pitches, in communities, with barely any resources, no one is investing in them. No certificate. No formal training. No support. Just passion. Just love for the game."
Ajibade explained that the scholarship programme was created with a long-term vision for Nigerian football, emphasizing that investing in coaches ultimately benefits generations of players.
"I started the Rasheedat Ajibade Foundation NIS Coaching Education Scholarship because I believe that if you invest in the coach, you invest in every single player they will ever coach for the rest of their career and for the rest of their lives."
"Behind every great Nigerian athlete is a coach who believed in them first. Let us invest in those coaches."
Beyond improving coaching standards, the initiative is expected to enhance talent identification and player development while boosting the professional credentials and career prospects of participating coaches.
With the scholarship programme, Ajibade hopes to leave a lasting legacy beyond her achievements on the pitch, ensuring that the men and women shaping Nigeria's future football stars receive the education, recognition, and support they deserve.
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