Grace Towobola
Grace Towobola is a CAF- and UEFA-licensed football coach and serves as Training Officer of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Oyo State Chapter. She was awarded the 2022/2023 Chevening Scholarship to complete her MSc in Sport Coaching at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom, building on a Master’s degree in Sport Management and a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Economics in Nigeria.
With coaching experience across the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league, and elite English clubs, Grace is committed to advancing gender equality in football and creating safe, inclusive pathways for women and girls in the sport.
The Women’s Football Development Initiative (WFDI) empowers girls and women to pursue careers in football, both on and off the pitch. Its work spans three pillars: fostering early career interest through the ASPIRE programme and football career fairs; supporting girls to return to and remain in education through the WFDI Academy; and training the next generation of female football coaches through the Coaches Leadership Training (CLT).
Activities include Turn Up and Play football sessions; free training and internships for aspiring coaches; workshops for parents and teachers; and the Eat, Learn, Play programme, which combines evening meals with literacy, maths lessons and football practice for girls in underserved communities. The initiative also runs pad banks at affiliated centres to ensure girls can continue to attend school and play football while menstruating, alongside campaigns advocating for the rights of girls and women in sport.
To date, the WFDI has onboarded 85 participants in the CLT, visited 22 secondary schools, reached more than 2,000 girls, and supported dozens of volunteers. By building a growing network of players, coaches, and allies, the WFDI is breaking barriers and reshaping the future of women’s football in Nigeria.
SDGs
