Jennifer Echegini (Nigeria): 'I can't wait to experience this WAFCON'
Born in the Netherlands and developed between England and the United States, she never hesitated—her heart has always beaten for the Super Falcons
'People often reduce us to just our speed. But we have so much more to offer,' warns the Parisian midfielder, determined to break stereotypes
At 24, the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Africa Women's Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be her first. Jennifer Echegini approaches it with the maturity of a player who has already faced the pressure of the Olympics and the World Cup. But for her, the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON is more than just another tournament: it's a source of pride, a responsibility, a deep connection to the history and soul of Nigerian football.
Arriving in Paris in the summer of 2024, the Super Falcon quickly made her mark in an elite squad. 'She creates danger every time she touches the ball,' praises teammate Grace Geyoro. Behind her technical skills and game intelligence lies an unusual journey: born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, trained in England and the U.S, Echegini has always carried the desire to represent Nigeria. 'It's a conviction that has always driven me,' she says.
Today, she shares the PSG locker room with other African talents like Agueissa Diarra (Mali) and Merveille Kanjinga (DR Congo). Her advice?
'Believe in yourself, no matter where you come from. In Paris, only discipline and passion matter.'
A powerful message from a player who refuses clichés:
'We're often reduced to speed or power, but African women's football is so much more than that.'
With only a few weeks to go before the Women's AFCON kicks off in Morocco (July 5–26), Jennifer Echegini is ready to step into the spotlight:
'This tournament brings a different intensity, a unique emotion. It's our legacy,' she says with determination.
CAFOnline.com: Since July, you've been playing for PSG. What do you appreciate most about your new life in Paris?
Jennifer Echegini: There are so many things I love here. What stands out the most is being able to train every day alongside exceptional players. Every session is a learning moment. Some of them I used to admire on TV when I was younger, so now sharing the field with them and learning from them is such a rich experience.
You were the first African player to join PSG. What message did you share with Agueissa Diarra (Mali) and Merveille Kanjinga (DR Congo), your two African teammates, when they joined?
I told them to believe in themselves. It doesn't matter where you come from—your background should never limit you. Being from a particular country or region doesn't define your value. What matters is what you show on the field. At PSG, we're all on the same level, in the same locker room, and we have to fight for what we want. Self-belief is the key.
Paris has recently invested in several African players, including yourself. What do you think about this trend, and what impact can it have on the development of women's football in Africa?
I'm proud that European clubs are starting to take us seriously. Too often, African players are reduced to just strength or speed, but we have so much more to offer the game. This recognition changes things. It sends a strong message to young girls across the continent: if we made it, they can too. They shouldn't limit themselves to stereotypical traits.
At 24, you've already played in the World Cup and the Olympics… and now you're preparing for your first TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Women's Cup of Nations. What does this tournament mean to you?
It's very special. I've been in major international competitions, but I haven't played in an WAFCON yet. This will be my first time, and I'm very excited. I watched the last edition two years ago and already thought: 'One day, it'll be my turn.' Now that moment is here. It's a different atmosphere, a different energy. Representing my country on the African continent is a huge honor. The Women's AFCON is about history, culture, emotion. I can't wait to live it from the inside.
Nigeria will play in Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana. How do you assess this group?
It's a tough group. On paper, we're the favourites, clearly. But in this kind of tournament, that doesn't mean anything. No team should be taken lightly. We'll need to be focused from the first minute and never underestimate the opposition.
What role do you expect to play for the Super Falcons during this AFCON?
I'm a midfielder, so my role is to create, organize, and also score when I can. I want to be a constant support for my teammates across all areas of the pitch. Nothing complicated—just doing what I know how to do. Simply being useful.
Nigeria is a powerhouse on the continent, with a rich history in this competition. How do you handle the pressure of always needing to win?
We live with it. The pressure has always been there. When you wear the Nigerian jersey, you know the expectations are sky-high. But that's a good thing, really. It's those standards that shape who we are. Nigeria has won this competition multiple times. As the new generation, it's our duty to carry on that tradition. So yes, there's pressure. But everyone—the fans, the staff, us—wants the same thing: victory.
With increased media coverage, do you sense a change in how African fans view women's football?
Definitely. I've been with the team for three years now, and I see real progress. There's more coverage, more interest, more visibility. This tournament has always been important, but it didn't get talked about enough. Today, things are changing—and that's excellent. The more people understand the importance of this competition, the more African women's football will grow.
What message do you want to send to young African girls watching you from Lagos, Cotonou, or Abidjan, dreaming of following in your footsteps?
I'd simply tell them to believe in themselves and never stop working hard. Every journey is unique. I'm Nigerian, but I wasn't born in Nigeria. I grew up in the Netherlands, in the UK, spent time in the US… My story is different from some of my teammates who grew up in Lagos or Abuja.
But that's the point: no matter where you come from, the path may be different, but the destination can be the same. We can all reach the top level, each in our own way.
You have to believe in yourself and never doubt. You set your own ceiling. If you tell yourself you won't make it, then you won't. Don't let anyone convince you that you can't. Work hard, believe in yourself, and go for it.
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The coaches are now interchanging the movement of these players. We have seen the impact of substitutes in games. The tacticial awareness that has come from the coaches. Look at Sanaa Msoudy coming from the bench and her impact on Morocco,' she explains. Shipanga further digs deeper into the impact of binational players and their impact on this WAFCON, 'Clearly, they bring an impact to the competition. When it comes to Women's Football, this is playing a huge role. Look at Ghana. This is simply because of their physical strength but also where do they play.' 'They have consistent competitions, and the player pathway has a huge advantage. At age 10 or 12, they are already playing in a club setup that has facilities. We are in Morocco, they have the best facilities, attract the best players, competitions and are indispensable. We need more of our players to experience that. There is never going to be a substitute. We cannot say that one is better. 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This WAFCON in Morocco has seen a huge spike in the use of technology by teams with the hiring of video analysts as part of their pre-game preparations, direct communication between video analysts who are situated in the stands during the game with the technical bench as well as data-based decisions during the halftime break. 'My expertise lies in data. When I look at this tournament, it has become criticial to use data. It plays a huge role in the tournament. I cannot imagine a coach sending out players to war without substancial information. I look at the game plan that for instance Senegal did for their game against South Africa [quarterfinal] and I could see that they knew how to stop the Banyana Banyana. They made it difficult for them,' explains the former Banyana Banyana Performance Analyst. 'Senegal knew who was going to change the game on the South African side. That has become so important. When I look back to the WAFCON 2016, I was the only Performance Analyst at the tournament but then things started changing. In 2019, as we [South Africa] were preparing for the World Cup in France, CAF helped with data. In 2023 ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealands, we had a company that supported us. And you can see that led to three of the participating four African teams making it to the Round of 16 [Nigeria, South Africa and debutants Morocco]. There was no chance this would have happened without the use of data. Preparing for games especially at major tournaments requires careful planning. It is great to see that teams have now seen the importance of data.' Booysen stipulates that coaches at the WAFCON would be keen to see whether the players are sticking to the pre-match agreements and the plan is being followed to the dot. 'If the analyst sees a gap, she or he might need to alert the technical bench. It could be who is not being picked up, who are the players that are not playing their part. In fact, the analysts might even provide clips to the coaches for them to further assess the situation.' 'Football is all about winning. If you see for instance South Africa had to make two forced substitutes in their semifinal against Nigeria [Hildah Magaia and Noxolo Cesane coming on after injuries to two starters, how did this change the team's plan at hand? Also, the analyst has a better view of the game courtesy of being in the stands. They can see the game better.' Women Coaches at the WAFCON WAFCON 2022 winning coach Desiree Ellis (South Africa) and Swiss tactician Nora Hüptle at the helm of Zambia were the only female head coaches at this WAFCON. Booysen believes that there is space for more female coaches on the continent to feature at the big stage. 'I think if we want to grow. That is one of the areas that we need to improve. Member associations need to identify areas where they want to develop. If I look at the Europeans, the EUROs have 44% of women coaches at the current tournament and we have 15% - which is two coaches. There are several female assistant coaches. Of course, males play a huge role in Women's Football but so do the females. What more can they do because when we look at the number of CAF A Licensed Coaches, there is a huge amount. The Member Associations need to reflect to do better. If we want to change the narrative, the coaches are there. It is up to the MAs. For instance, in South Africa, all our female teams are coached by women.' Touré (2008), Ellis (2022) and Florence Omagbemi (2016) with Nigeria are the only female coaches to lift the WAFCON since its inception in 1998.
