Nigerian billionaire industrialist and philanthropist Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, has applauded the Super Eagles for their spirit and determination at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and confirmed he will fulfil his pledged $500,000 reward to the team despite their semi-final exit.

Nigeria bowed out of the tournament on Wednesday night after losing 4–2 on penalties to hosts Morocco, following a goalless 120 minutes in Rabat. The defeat ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the final but did little to dampen praise for their overall campaign.

In a message to the players and officials, Rabiu commended their courage, unity and commitment, insisting that the outcome did not diminish the pride they had given Nigerians throughout the competition.

“You fought with your hearts, gave your all, and showed true courage and determination on the pitch,” Rabiu said. “Though it wasn’t meant to be this time, you have made every Nigerian proud. The spirit, passion and unity you displayed are what truly matter.”

He added that his $500,000 pledge would still be honoured as recognition of the team’s hard work, dedication and the joy they brought to the nation, urging the players to keep their heads high and draw strength from the experience.

The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the third-place playoff against Egypt in Casablanca on Saturday, as they seek to cap a strong AFCON campaign with a bronze medal.

Nigeria’s squad arrived in Casablanca on Thursday and commenced preparations for the playoff, with coaching staff focused on lifting morale after the narrow semi-final setback and ensuring the team finishes the tournament on a positive note.

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The Nigeria Football Federation has praised the Super Eagles for their run to the semi-finals of the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, describing the campaign as one driven by commitment, discipline, passion and resilience.

Nigeria’s bid for a place in the final ended on Wednesday night after a tense, goalless semi-final against hosts Morocco, settled by a 4–2 penalty shootout defeat following 120 minutes of regulation and extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Reacting to the outcome, NFF President and WAFU B President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, called on the squad to put the disappointment behind them and refocus ahead of Saturday’s third-place playoff against Egypt in Casablanca.

Gusau said penalty shootouts remained unpredictable, noting that Nigeria had benefitted from the same situation two years ago but fell on the wrong side this time. He stressed that the federation remained proud of the team’s performance, highlighting that the Super Eagles are still the tournament’s highest-scoring side.

“The NFF is proud of the output of the team at this championship,” Gusau said. “They gave their best, navigated several challenges and played their game. Now we want them to lift their morale and go all out for the bronze so they can take something tangible from a tournament in which they have done so well.”

Nigeria departed Rabat for Casablanca on Thursday afternoon and were scheduled to hold an evening training session open to the media, with Friday’s official training allowing media access for the opening 15 minutes.

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By Kunle Solaja, Tangier

Covering a major tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations often narrows a journalist’s world to stadiums, training grounds and mixed zones. Yet, in Tangier, football kept nudging me gently toward history. One such nudge led to the modest but evocative Ibn Battuta Museum, dedicated to one of the greatest travellers the world has ever known.

The entrance to the Ibn Battouta Museum

Great thanks to the dedicated team of the Moroccan National Association of Media and Publishers (ANME) who served as tour guides.

Originally, the stadium in Tangier, now called Stade d’Tanger, where Senegal picked their ticket for the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations, was called the Ibn Battouta Stadium, in affectionate memory of a prominent traveller, hundreds of years ago.

Set within the winding alleys of the old medina of Tangier, which is the local market, the museum does not announce itself loudly. Like the journeys of its subject, it invites discovery rather than spectacle.

 For a sports reporter accustomed to floodlights and roaring crowds, stepping into this quiet historical space felt like changing tempo—from a fast-paced counterattack to a patient build-up.

A Compact Museum with Expansive Ideas

The museum’s facilities are simple but thoughtfully curated. Display rooms are compact, clean and well-lit, guiding visitors chronologically through the life and travels of Ibn Battuta. Panels, maps and illustrations trace his astonishing 14th-century journeys across North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia and parts of Europe and China—covering a distance that modern estimates place at over 120,000 kilometres.

Graphic summary of Ibn Battuta’s global journey

Glass cases hold replicas of medieval travel instruments, old manuscripts and artistic representations of cities Ibn Battuta visited.

The walls are lined with maps that resemble early match charts—routes instead of fixtures, continents instead of groups, and seas instead of borders. For someone immersed in tournament logistics, these ancient travel routes felt oddly familiar: planning, endurance, adaptation and survival.

What struck me most was how Ibn Battuta’s travels mirrored the essence of elite sport. He left home at a young age, embracing uncertainty, adapting to foreign cultures, learning new languages, and surviving political upheavals, harsh climates, and long separations. His journey was not a straight path to glory; it was a series of away fixtures played under unfamiliar conditions.

His journey across Europe and Asia, as well as parts of Africa, however, did not take him to the area currently known as Nigeria. When I asked one member of Team ANME, Mamoune Kadiri, he jokingly responded that “Nigeria did not give him a visa.”

The museum highlights his encounters with sultans, scholars, merchants and ordinary people—a testament to how curiosity and openness can turn travel into education. Reading about his years on the road, I could not help but think of modern footballers and journalists who criss-cross continents in pursuit of careers, stories and moments that outlive scorelines.

A Fortress Above the Sea

One of the museum’s quiet surprises lies above. From its upper level, the building cuts the picture of an old fortress, offering commanding views of the sea and the bustling port below.

 View from atop the Ibn Battuta Museum. The seaport where passengers travel to Europe.

There are relics of old machine guns pointing mainly towards the sea. From here, the geography of Tangier reveals itself in full: the coastline stretching outward, ships dotting the water, and the harbour where passengers board boats bound for Europe.

Where Sport Meets History

The museum’s quiet atmosphere encourages reflection. Benches placed strategically allow visitors to sit, read and absorb. There are no digital gimmicks or overwhelming multimedia displays—just history presented with restraint. It fits Tangier perfectly: a city that has always thrived on intersections, exchanges and movement.

Outside, the medina buzzes again—vendors calling, footsteps echoing, life resuming its normal rhythm. Inside, the legacy of a man who turned travel into purpose lingers.

A Different Kind of Matchday Memory

As AFCON headlines continue to be written and rewritten, this visit offered something rarer: perspective. Ibn Battuta’s story reminds us that journeys are not always about destinations or trophies, but about growth, resilience and understanding the world beyond familiar borders.

For a sports reporter in Tangier, the visit to Ibn Battuta’s museum became an unexpected extension of tournament coverage—proof that even during football’s biggest competitions, the road still has lessons to teach. And like the best matches, it is an experience that stays long after the final whistle.

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