Nkechi Obi’s time as Chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has officially come to an end. After two years at the helm, she bows out, having redefined what leadership in women’s football can look like.

In a formal memo to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Obi confirmed that the board’s tenure had come to a close. Along with the announcement, she submitted a comprehensive report outlining the board’s activities.

But beyond the paperwork, her legacy speaks volumes.

During her tenure, the NWFL didn’t just grow. It transformed. For the first time in history, every single match of the 2024 and 2025 Super 6 was broadcast live. The Championship League also got international streaming, taking Nigerian women’s football to a global stage. Online, the league’s digital presence soared, with follower counts doubling across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Even LinkedIn was put to use, attracting corporate attention that had long overlooked the women’s game.

Obi didn’t stop at visibility. She went to work on structure. The Premiership expanded from 14 to 20 teams. The second-tier Championship League also doubled in size. In a major move for grassroots development, a new States League was introduced, set to kick off in August 2025 with over 150 teams from 30 states already on board.

Financially, the story was just as impressive. From a ₦25 million deficit in 2023, the league flipped the script to record a ₦3 million surplus by 2024. For the first time ever, the annual Super 6 tournament was sponsored by a privately owned club, another sign of growing private-sector trust. In fact, the number of privately run clubs in the top tier jumped from two to five.

And while money and media are crucial, Obi also put players first. Under her leadership, the league’s minimum wage increased from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000. More NWFL players earned spots in Nigeria’s national teams across different age levels, and the country made a much stronger return to the CAF Women’s Champions League.

Even though her term has officially ended, Obi made it clear that the work isn’t finished. Preparations for the States League and Championship playoffs are still underway, and she’s directed the Chief Operating Officer to complete all handover documents, including full financials, for the next board.

“As we bow out, I am proud of what we accomplished together,” she wrote. “We’ve built a foundation that I hope future boards can build on.”

Nkechi Obi exits the NWFL stage with her head held high. Her tenure didn’t just improve the league. It raised the standard and proved just how far Nigerian women’s football can go.