Nduka Ugbade (born 6 September 1969) is a football coach and former player, currently serving as the head coach of the Nigeria U-17 national team. Ugbade first gained prominence as the captain of the Nigeria U-16 team that won the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship in China, where Nigeria secured a historic 2-0 victory against West Germany, marking Africa's first major win in global football. He continued to shine in youth football, playing for Nigeria's U-20 team that finished as runners-up at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia, a tournament remembered for the "Dammam Miracle," where Nigeria staged a remarkable comeback from 4-0 down to win on penalties against the USSR.

Following his illustrious youth career, Ugbade played for the Nigerian national team but was hindered by injuries and poor form, preventing him from participating in the 1994 World Cup. Transitioning to coaching, Ugbade was appointed as an assistant coach for the Nigeria U-17 national team by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in August 2011. Under his guidance, the team won a silver medal at the 2013 CAF U-17 tournament in Algeria and went on to win the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE, demonstrating his effective leadership and coaching prowess.

In addition to his national team duties, Ugbade was named head coach of Lagos-based club MFM FC in 2013. His extensive experience as both a player and coach has made him a significant figure in Nigerian football, contributing to the development of young talents and the success of the national youth teams on the international stage.

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