The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has confirmed that all outstanding financial entitlements owed to Super Eagles players and officials have been fully addressed.
Dikko’s comments come amid reports that some players had threatened to boycott training sessions and the team’s trip to Marrakech for Saturday’s clash against Algeria. Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he dismissed the concerns, stressing that funding issues had been resolved.
According to Dikko, President Bola Tinubu approved the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 budget in November 2025, ensuring full alignment between the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and the players.
“The president approved the entire AFCON budget on November 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been completely cleared,” Dikko said.
He clarified, however, that while approval and disbursement are separate processes, players had been assured that the funds were approved and already in the pipeline.
“Approval is one thing, processing is another, but the players are aware that the funds have been approved,” he added.
Dikko also revealed that extensive meetings were held with the NFF, the team captain, co-captain, and senior players to reach a clear agreement on tournament bonuses.
“We met, negotiated, and agreed on what the players are entitled to right up to the final. Everything was clearly understood,” he said.
He noted that the players accepted the incentive structure before the tournament commenced and were fully aware of their earnings at each stage.
“The players know exactly what they are playing for and the bonuses attached to every round,” Dikko stated.
He further disclosed that the only payments requested in cash were daily allowances, which have already been settled.
“The only cash request was for daily allowances, and that has been sorted and made available,” he said.
Match bonuses, he added, have also been approved and are currently undergoing processing.
“The bonuses have been approved. The process is ongoing and the funds will be released,” Dikko assured.
He confirmed that both the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are involved in ensuring timely payments.
“The Ministry of Finance and the CBN are handling this, so everything will be paid on time,” he said.
Meanwhile, NAN reports that the Super Eagles have maintained a perfect record so far at the tournament, scoring 12 goals on their way to the quarter-finals. Nigeria will take on Algeria’s Desert Foxes for a place in the semi-finals and are scheduled to travel from Fès to Marrakech on Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s 5 p.m. showdown at the Stade de Marrakech.
