SCORENigeria can report that even though the Super Eagles are flying high at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the controversy and confusion over outstanding match bonuses have persisted even after President Bola Tinubu approved a special fund to clear these unpaid monies.
SCORENigeria has now gathered that the Super Eagles are owed bonuses and allowances for as many as 29 matches and dating as far back as 2021.
We have further learnt that this week at the AFCON, two match bonuses for home games against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers were cleared.
The home games of the Super Eagles are paid in Naira and it is believed each player received a win bonus of a Million Naira per game.
However, even after the Federal Government of Nigeria announced prior to the AFCON that 12 Billion Naira has been approved by President Tinubu to clear all the outstanding bonuses and allowances, the NFF leadership has told the team that it is yet to pay off the debts because it is waiting on former sponsors Aiteo to do so.
“For heaven’s sake what has Aiteo got to do with our bonuses and allowances that are the responsibility of the Federal Government?” asked a senior player on the Super Eagles squad.
This comes at the same time as the team have not received any bonus for their exploits at the AFCON.
NFF officials have blamed the delay on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the country’s apex bank.
The Super Eagles have so far only been paid training camp allowances to cover 20 days.
Sports Ministry officials disclosed that the money approved by President Tinubu has since been released and wonder why the players have yet to be paid.
Another source explained to SCORENigeria: “They are playing games with the boys because most of them are only featuring in their first major tournament with Nigeria.
“They don’t have the experience of how to handle matters that concern their entitlements.”
“Delay is dangerous,” cautioned another aggrieved player.
The NFF have for many years been riddled by weighty allegations of corruption, lack of accountability and transparency that have caused investigations by the country’s anti-corruption agencies, EFCC and ICPC.
