Nneka Ogwumike
Nneka Ogwumike is a Nigerian-American basketball player for the Los
Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
She was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft. Ogwumike has
stayed on top of her game, winning several awards and medals. She is
one of the top 25 players in the women’s league history.
Asisat Lamina Oshoala
Asisat Lamina Oshoala is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays
for FC Barcelona Femení and the Nigerian women’s national team, The Falcons.
Regarded as one of the greatest African female footballers of all time
and one of the best in the world, she is the most decorated African
female footballer of all time and a record five-time African Women’s
Footballer of the Year award winner. Asisat previously played for English clubs
Arsenal and Liverpool. She is the only female African player to win a
Champions League trophy.
Tobi Amusan
Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan is a Nigerian track and field athlete in
the 100 metres hurdles. She won the 2022 World Athletics Championship
in the 100 metres hurdles, setting a new world record of 12.12 seconds
in the semifinal and 12.06 seconds in the final to take the gold
medal. She was the 2018 Commonwealth and African champion. Her
resilience has become a source of inspiration to Nigerians.
Ezinne Kalu
Ezinne Kalu is an American-born Nigerian basketball player for
Landerneau Bretagne Basket and the Nigerian national team. She
represented D’Tigress, Africa’s highest-ranked side, and won three
straight championships for them. She was named 2019 Women’s
Afrobasket Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Baraka Oyinlomo Quadre
Baraka Oyinlomo Quadre is a Nigerian tennis player. She is currently
the highest-ranked Nigerian in the WTA women’s single category. In
March 2018 WTA rankings, she was ranked number one in Nigeria, 9th in
Africa, and 945 in the women’s singles category. Quadre has
represented Nigeria at the Billie Jean King Cup, making her debut in
2021.
Erica Ogwumike
Erica Erinma Ogwumike is a Nigerian American basketball player. She
played college basketball for the Rice Owls. In July 2020, she played
for the Nigeria women’s national basketball team in the Tokyo
Olympics. Aside from athletics, Ogwumike is also an aspiring doctor
and is currently in medical school.
Ese Brume
Ese Brume is a Nigerian athlete who specialises in Long Jump. She is a
three-time African senior champion in the Long Jump and holds a
personal best of 7.17 m (23 ft 6+1⁄4 in). She is the African junior
record holder and a five-time African junior champion in athletics.
She is ranked 3rd in the world.
Rasheedat Ajibade
Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade is a Nigerian professional footballer who
plays for Atlético de Madrid and the Nigeria women’s national football
team. Ajibade represented Nigeria at age grade competition before
making her debut for the senior team at the 2018 WAFU Cup in Côte
d’Ivoire. In 2017, she was named in the AFCON 2022 best Xi starting
lineup.
Latifa Tijani
Latifat Tijani is a Nigerian powerlifter. She won gold in the women’s
45kg event at the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of
Congo. In 2016, she competed in the women’s 45kg event at the 2016
Summer Paralympics, where she lifted 106kg to win silver. At the 2020
Tokyo Paralympics, she won a Gold medal in the women’s 45 kg event.
Blessing Oborududu
Blessing Oborududu is a Nigerian freestyle wrestler. She is ranked
second worldwide and the first wrestler to win an Olympic medal
representing Nigeria. She is also a ten-time African champion from
2010 to 2020. Oborududu also won gold in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Chioma Onyekwere
Chioma Chukwujindu Onyekwere is an American-born Nigerian track and
field athlete specialising in discus throw. She has competed in
the shotput and discus throw events representing Nigeria, and holds the
Nigerian National Record for discus throw. Her personal best of
63.30 meters for the discus throw was achieved in 2021. She won a gold
medal in the discus throw at the 2018 African Championships in Asaba,
Nigeria. She won another gold medal in the discus throw at the 2019
African Games in Rabat, Morocco, and a historic gold medal in women’s
discus throw in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Zainab Salah
Zainab Salah is an avid karateka that possesses a black belt and is
currently a 4th Dan. She is a recognised World Karate Judge (WKF), and
a Continental Referee (UFAK). She currently sits on the Board of the
Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) and on the Board of the Lagos State
Karate Association (LSKA) as its vice chairman and technical director.
She has contributed immensely to the advancement of the sport of
karate in Nigeria and has encouraged and promoted the active
participation of women in the sport. She is the founder of a
successful female international karate championship, known as The
Zainab Saleh International Female Karate Open Championship, going into
its 8th year, which is widely recognised. She is a role model to other
female karatekas and her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed.
