…explains differences in approval and processing
By Ola Kay
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Shehu Dikko, has clarified that all financial entitlements of Super Eagles players and officials have been resolved with payments likely anytime soon.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Dikko’s response to the sensitive matter followed reports of signs players would withdraw their participation in training and travel to Marrakech for Saturday’s match against Algeria.
Dikko had informed that President Bola Tinubu approved the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 budget in November 2025, bringing alignment among the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation and the players.
He told NAN that: “The president approved the entire AFCON budget on November 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared.”
He also clarified that approval and processing are not the same but fell into two different stages, assuring the 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 Director-General also revealed that meetings were held with the NFF, the team captain, co-captain and senior players to harmonize tournament bonuses.
He said: “We sat down, negotiated and agreed on what the players are entitled to up to the final. Everybody is clear.”
According to him, the Super Eagles players were well aware of their incentives and accepted the terms before the tournament started.
Dikko stated that, “The players know exactly what they are playing for and what their bonuses are at every stage,” adding that, apart from this, the daily allowances requested in cash had already been settled, while their match bonuses had been approved and were currently being processed for payment.
Dikko said that the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria were working to ensure timely disbursement.
So far, the Super Eagles have won all their matches so far, scoring 12 goals en route to the quarter-finals.
In the next round of the competition, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will lock horns with Algeria’s Desert Foxes for a semi-final spot.
The Eagles are expected to make advance departure to Fès for Marrakech on Thursday, ahead of the encounter at the Stade de Marrakech taking place on Saturday by 5 p.m.
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