The Chairperson of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has said all financial entitlements of Super Eagles players and officials have been resolved.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Dikko’s remarks followed reports of players threatening to boycott training and travel to Marrakech for Saturday’s match against Algeria.
Mr Dikko told NAN that President Bola Tinubu had approved the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 budget since November 2025, aligning the NSC, NFF and players.
“The president approved the entire AFCON budget on Nov. 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared,” Mr Dikko said.
He however explained that approval and processing were different stages but assured players that funds had been approved and were being released.
“Approving the money is one thing, processing it is another, but the players know the funds have been approved,” he added.
The NSC DG said meetings were held with the NFF, team captain, co-captain and senior players to agree on tournament bonuses.
“We sat down, negotiated and agreed on what the players are entitled to up to the final. Everybody is clear,” he said.
He noted that the players understood their incentives and accepted the terms before the tournament began.
“The players know exactly what they are playing for and what their bonuses are at every stage,” Mr Dikko stated.
According to him, only daily allowances were requested in cash, and those had already been settled.
“The only cash request was daily allowances, and that has been sorted and made available,” he said.
He added that match bonuses had been approved and were currently being processed for payment.
“The bonuses have been approved. The process is ongoing and the money will come,” he assured.
He said the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were working to ensure timely disbursement.
“The Ministry of Finance and CBN are on this, so everything will come on time,” Mr Dikko said.
NAN reports that the Super Eagles have won all their matches so far, scoring 12 goals en route to the quarter-finals.
Nigeria will face Algeria’s Desert Foxes for a semi-final spot and are expected to depart Fès for Marrakech on Thursday, ahead of the blockbuster encounter at the Stade de Marrakech on Saturday by 5 p.m.
Background
PREMIUM TIMES had reported a potential disruption at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as players and coaching staff raised concerns over unpaid allowances and bonuses.
Despite a strong run in the tournament—winning all three group matches and defeating Mozambique 4–0 in the Round of 16—reports indicate that promised win bonuses for matches against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique have not yet been paid.
ALSO READ: AFCON 2025: Super Eagles threaten ‘strike’ over unpaid bonuses
BBC journalist Oluwashina Okeleji highlighted on social media that the squad could refuse to train or travel to Marrakech ahead of their quarter-final clash against Algeria if the payments are not resolved.
This situation mirrors past disruptions involving the national team, particularly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa playoffs in Morocco, when players boycotted training over unpaid allowances.
