Hobbled at home, Nigerian sportswomen dominate abroad

Abuja: As Nigerian women dominate sports on the continent, they re facing off not just against top talent abroad but a domestic atmosphere of mismanag...

Abuja: As Nigerian women dominate sports on the continent, they're facing off not just against top talent abroad but a domestic atmosphere of mismanagement and pay disparities -- and even the risk of repression for speaking out.

Nigeria is fresh off a win at the finals of Women's AfroBasket, their fifth-consecutive championship at the continent's top hardwood tournament, while last month the Super Falcons clinched their 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations football title.

The football team's successes in particular have come in the face of pay disparities compared to their male counterparts -- when they get paid at all.

The women receive a training camp allowance but the bulk of their pay comes from per-match bonuses, which vary depending on the team's results.

Both the women's basketball and football teams have been plagued by late or unpaid match bonuses for years, despite their records as arguably the best teams on the continent.