AFCON Crisis: Nigerian Govt Scrambles To Pay Super Eagles By Friday Following Algeria Match Boycott Threat
January 8, 2026
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 by Thursday or, at the latest, Friday.
The assurance follows rising tension in the Super Eagles camp, after reports emerged that players threatened to boycott their next AFCON fixture against Algeria in Marrakech unless all unpaid bonuses were settled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The issue was first reported by sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, who disclosed that the players were demanding full payment of their entitlements before honouring the crucial match. BBC journalist Olúwashínà Okeleji later corroborated the development, confirming that both players and officials were still awaiting payment.
“Players and coaching staff of #Nigeria are waiting on #AFCON2025 bonus payments,” Okeleji wrote.
Reacting to the situation, the Minister of State for Finance, Hon. (Dr.) Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, provided an update in a statement published on her verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday.
“I am pleased to provide an update on the administrative progress regarding the match bonuses for our national team at AFCON 2025,” the minister stated.
She explained that the Federal Government, working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had resolved the foreign exchange challenges that had delayed payments.
“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay,” Uzoka-Anite said.
According to her, the new payment structure will extend beyond the current tournament to ensure efficiency and predictability.
“Going forward, the process will be fully streamlined to ensure faster, more predictable disbursements aligned with international best practice,” she added.
The minister further revealed that group-stage bonuses had already been approved and cleared through all regulatory stages. She noted that an accelerated foreign currency conversion process had also been adopted to meet players’ preferences.
“We have implemented a fast-track conversion process to move funds into foreign currency,” she said, adding that final transfers to players’ domiciliary accounts were already underway.
“The final transfers are currently in flight. Players can expect these funds to reflect starting today (Thursday) or tomorrow (Friday),” Uzoka-Anite confirmed.
She stressed that the government remains committed to the welfare of the Super Eagles as they advance in the competition, expressing optimism about the team’s chances.
“Our focus remains entirely on supporting the team’s welfare so they can maintain their incredible momentum in the knockout rounds,” she said, concluding: “We move forward with one goal: bringing the trophy home.”