The spotlight on Nigeria’s Super Eagles isn’t just about their performance on the pitch—off-field drama has also taken center stage.
Just days before their highly anticipated quarter-final clash against Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, concerns over unpaid match bonuses had threatened to derail the team’s travel plans.
Payment Delay Sparks Player Frustration
The row over allowances emerged after the players and officials indicated they might skip the journey from Fez to Marrakesh for Saturday’s game unless their outstanding bonuses were settled.
Reports confirmed that the Eagles had not yet received payments for all four group-stage matches, fueling frustration within the squad.
This wasn’t the first time financial issues had disrupted the team.
Back in November 2024, the Super Eagles boycotted training during the African World Cup playoffs due to backlog in allowances.
The action preceded a defeat against DR Congo that ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, highlighting the impact of administrative delays on on-field performance.
Federal Government Confirms Payments Are On the Way
In a reassuring statement on Thursday, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, confirmed that the match bonuses had passed all necessary regulatory checks and would be reflected in players’ domiciliary accounts “starting today or tomorrow.”
Uzoka-Anite explained that the delay was due to the conversion process needed to move funds into foreign currency—a preference expressed by the players.
She added that the process had now been expedited, with transfers currently underway.
“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay,” Uzoka-Anite said.
“Going forward, this process will be fully streamlined for faster and more predictable disbursements, in line with international best practice.”
NSC Chairman Affirms Budget Approval and Funding
Adding further clarity, Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, confirmed that all financial entitlements for players and officials had been addressed.
His comments came in response to reports of potential boycotts of travel and training ahead of the Marrakech match.
Dikko explained that President Bola Tinubu had approved the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 budget in November 2025, creating alignment between the NSC, Nigeria Football Federation, and the players.
“The president approved the entire AFCON budget on November 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared,” he noted.
He also clarified the distinction between approval and processing: “Approving the money is one thing, processing it is another, but the players know the funds have been approved and are being released.”
Eagles’ On-Field Form Remains Impressive
Despite the off-field distractions, the Super Eagles have excelled on the pitch.
Nigeria has won all four group-stage matches and is the highest-scoring team in the tournament, with a total of 12 goals.
Their dominance was evident in a 4–0 thrashing of Mozambique in the second round, helping them finish at the top of Group C.
The stakes are high for the quarter-final, as the winner of Nigeria vs. Algeria will advance to face either Morocco or Cameroon in the semi-final.
With bonuses reportedly cleared, the Eagles can now focus fully on maintaining their unbeaten run in the tournament.
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