Sports
AFCON 2025: Super Eagles’ bonuses cleared, payments in progress — Dikko
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has said that all outstanding financial entitlements owed to Super Eagles players and officials have now been fully resolved.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dikko spoke amid reports that some players were threatening to boycott training and refuse to travel to Marrakech for Saturday’s match against Algeria.
According to Dikko, there is no longer any disagreement over payments, as the issue has been addressed in line with earlier approvals.
He explained that President Bola Tinubu approved the Super Eagles’ budget for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in November 2025, a move he said brought the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and the players onto the same page.
He added that with the budget already approved and the necessary arrangements concluded, there should be no financial obstacles affecting the team’s preparations or participation in the competition.
“The president approved the entire AFCON budget on Nov. 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared,” 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,” 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,” 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.
(NAN)
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