Super Eagles’ AFCON Bonuses Fully Approved, CBN and Finance Ministry Processing Payments — NSC

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ministry of Finance are working together to ensure the timely disbursement of bonuses and other financial entitlements owed to the Super Eagles players and officials for their participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the National Sports Commission (NSC) has said.

The Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, responding to reports that some players had threatened to boycott training and travel arrangements ahead of Nigeria’s quarter-final match against Algeria in Marrakech, Morocco.

Dikko told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the entire AFCON budget as far back as November 14, 2025, aligning expectations among the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the team.

“The president approved the entire AFCON budget on November 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared,” he said.

He clarified that while budget approval is completed, the actual release of funds requires additional processing steps.

“Approving the money is one thing, processing it is another, but the players know the funds have been approved,” Dikko said.

On the coordination of payments, Dikko said the Ministry of Finance and the CBN “are on this,” assuring that payments will be made on time.

“The Ministry of Finance and CBN are on this, so everything will come on time,” he said.

He also said that extensive consultations were held with the NFF, team captain and senior players to agree on the incentive structure for the tournament, and that players understood and accepted the agreed arrangement before the competition began.

“We sat down, negotiated and agreed on what the players are entitled to up to the final. Everybody is clear,” Dikko said.

According to the NSC chairman, daily allowances requested in cash have already been settled, and match bonuses are currently being processed for payment.

“The only cash request was daily allowances, and that has been sorted and made available,” he said.

“The bonuses have been approved. The process is ongoing and the money will come,” he added.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have recorded strong performances at AFCON 2025, scoring 12 goals as they progressed to the quarter-final stage and prepared to face Algeria.