Six Nigerian topscorers in WAFCON history

From the inaugural edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations to the most recent battles on North African soil, Nigerians have routinely topped the goalscoring charts, often powering the team to continental glory in the process.

THE PRIME NEWS chronicles the six iconic Nigerian players who have claimed the WAFCON Golden Boot

Nkiru Okosieme (1998):

The story of Nigeria’s dominance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations cannot be told without beginning with Nkiru Okosieme. Fondly nicknamed “The Headmistress” for her unrivalled aerial prowess, Okosieme wrote her name in African football history as the first-ever recipient of the WAFCON Golden Boot. The 1998 edition was the inaugural women’s continental championship, and Okosieme seized the moment with purpose and precision.

It was at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna where history began for her. Okosieme scored the tournament’s opening goal in the 17th minute against Morocco, launching Nigeria’s campaign with an 8–0 rout. She added a second goal just before half-time, ensuring a brace that would immediately place her among the players to watch. Her final contribution came in the most decisive of moments, the final against Ghana at the Gateway Stadium in Ijebu Ode, where she broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. Nigeria went on to win 2–0, securing their first continental crown, and with three goals to her name, Okosieme emerged as the tournament’s top scorer.

Mercy Akide (2000):

Two years later, Nigeria returned to the continental stage in South Africa, and Akide, a fierce, creative midfielder with a striker’s touch, took over the mantle from Okosieme. As Nigeria retained their crown, Akide’s attacking flair and consistent scoring became the tournament’s defining narrative.

She opened her campaign with two goals in Nigeria’s 2–2 draw against Ghana. She then struck twice more in a comprehensive 6–0 win over Morocco, adding another in the group stage against Cameroon, and finally notching another brace in the semi-final demolition of Zimbabwe. By the time Nigeria overcame South Africa in the final, the only match in which Akide did not score, she had already racked up seven goals, four more than her closest challengers.

Akide’s 2000 performance was a rare example of a midfielder controlling a tournament through goalscoring alone. She redefined expectations of her role and set a high bar for future Nigerian attackers at WAFCON.

Perpetua Nkwocha (2002, 2004, 2006, 2010):

In the memory of African women’s football, no figure looms larger than Perpetua Nkwocha. Her reign at WAFCON was both sustained and spectacular. She remains the only player to have finished as top scorer in four different editions, and her all-time tally of 34 goals at the tournament remains unsurpassed.

Her golden era began in 2002, but it was the 2004 edition in South Africa that marked the zenith of her dominance. In the final against Cameroon, Nkwocha delivered a performance for the ages, scoring four times to crush the Indomitable Lionesses and guide Nigeria to a fourth continental title. That display remains the only instance of a player scoring four goals in a WAFCON final. Her nine-goal haul in that edition remains one of the highest in a single tournament.

Nkwocha’s impact was not confined to one tournament. She followed her 2004 heroics with seven goals in 2006, where Nigeria retained their title, and added a staggering 11 goals in 2010, including two hat-tricks, a feat unmatched by any player in the tournament’s history.

In 2004, she was named the tournament’s best player and subsequently won the CAF African Women’s Footballer of the Year award, a title she would collect three more times. Her records continue to stand as a benchmark for all who aspire to follow in her footsteps.

Desire Oparanozie (2014):

By 2014, Nigeria’s depth in attacking talent was undeniable, but it was Oparanozie who rose to the top. Playing with determination, physicality, and a poacher’s instinct, the then 21-year-old forward seized her opportunity in Namibia with composure.

She began her campaign with a brace against Ivory Coast, a match Nigeria won 4–2. She followed up with another two goals in the next group fixture against Zambia, showing her precision from the penalty spot and her timing in open play. While she did not score in the third group game or the semi-final against South Africa, Oparanozie saved her final flourish for the championship decider against Cameroon. Her 12th-minute opener set the tone for Nigeria’s 2–0 triumph and won their seventh WAFCON title.

With five goals, she narrowly edged teammate Asisat Oshoala to claim the Golden Boot. Her efficiency in front of goal, particularly in key moments, gave Nigeria an edge in the tournament’s knockout stages.

Asisat Oshoala (2016):

If there was one crown Oshoala had yet to claim by 2016, it was the WAFCON Golden Boot. The Barcelona striker had already amassed an impressive collection of individual honours, from BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Boot and Ball, but the WAFCON top scorer prize remained elusive.

She came into the 2016 tournament in Cameroon determined to change that. And she did so in devastating style. In Nigeria’s opening game against Mali, Oshoala scored four goals, becoming the first player since Nkwocha in 2004 to net four times in a single WAFCON match and the last player till date. She added another in the next fixture against Ghana and capped the group stage with a sixth goal against Kenya.

Though she failed to score in the semi-final and final, her six goals were enough to secure the top scorer award, finally completing her WAFCON résumé.

Rasheedat Ajibade (2022):

In Morocco, Nigeria sought to reassert their dominance after losing the previous Golden Boot to South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana, Ajibade stepped into the spotlight. The Atlético Madrid forward, easily recognisable by her trademark blue hair and explosive style, became Nigeria’s standout performer in what was a challenging campaign for the Super Falcons.

She opened her account in Nigeria’s first match, a 2–1 defeat to South Africa, scoring a stoppage-time goal that would later prove vital. After a quiet second game, she returned to scoring form against Burundi, converting a penalty in a 4–0 victory. But it was in the quarter-final against Cameroon where Ajibade truly made her mark, netting the only goal in a tense match to secure Nigeria’s semi-final berth and, eventually, a spot at the World Cup.

Although Nigeria fell to Morocco on penalties in the semi-final and lost the third-place match to Zambia, Ajibade’s consistency in key moments set her apart. She finished with three goals, sharing the Golden Boot with Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak and South Africa’s Hildah Magaia.

Her Golden Boot triumph at the age of 22 confirmed her place in the lineage of Nigerian greats and provided hope for a new generation eager to continue the Falcons’ legacy of excellence on the continental stage, evidently as she’s now leading the Falcons’ squad on their quest for the tenth title.