The Federal Government has assured that outstanding match bonuses owed to the Super Eagles at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be paid before Friday, following concerns raised by the players over delayed payments.
The assurance came on Thursday after reports emerged that members of the national team had threatened to boycott training and delay their trip to Marrakesh ahead of their quarter-final clash against Algeria, unless all unpaid bonuses were settled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Nigeria is scheduled to face Algeria on Saturday in Marrakesh. The team is expected to travel from their current base in Fez to the host city on Thursday.
In a statement, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the payments had cleared all required regulatory processes and would begin reflecting in the players’ domiciliary accounts from Thursday or Friday.
She explained that the delay was caused by the process of converting funds into foreign currency, which she noted was the preferred mode of payment by the players.
According to her, the conversion process has now been fast-tracked, with the final transfers already 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.
She added that steps were being taken to ensure faster and more predictable payment processes in the future, in line with international best practices.
Earlier, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, also confirmed that all financial entitlements of Super Eagles players and officials had been resolved.
The development recalls a similar incident in November 2024, when the Super Eagles boycotted training during the African World Cup playoffs over unpaid allowances. Nigeria later lost to DR Congo, a defeat that ended the country’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.