The Federal Government has confirmed that all group-stage bonuses owed to the Super Eagles at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been released and are expected to reflect in the players’ domiciliary accounts within hours.
The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed this on Thursday amid reports that the national team was considering boycotting training sessions and possibly refusing to travel to Marrakesh for their quarter-final clash against Algeria over unpaid entitlements.
In a statement posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Uzoka-Anite said the issue had been resolved through coordinated efforts between the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined to ensure faster, more predictable disbursements aligned with international best practice,” she said.
The minister explained that all bonuses earned by the players during the group stage of the tournament had been fully processed and cleared through the necessary regulatory procedures.
“All group-stage bonuses were fully released and have now cleared the necessary regulatory stages,” Uzoka-Anite stated.
She added that a fast-track process was introduced to meet the players’ preference for receiving their payments in foreign currency.
“We have implemented a fast-track conversion process to move funds into foreign currency, honouring the players’ preferences,” she said.
According to the minister, the final phase of the payment process is already underway, with transfers to the players’ domiciliary accounts currently in progress.
“The final transfers to domiciliary accounts are currently in flight. Players can expect these funds to reflect starting today (Thursday) or tomorrow (Friday),” she added.
Uzoka-Anite stressed that the government remains committed to supporting the welfare and morale of the team as they progress into the knockout stage of the competition.
“Our focus remains entirely on supporting the team’s welfare so they can maintain their incredible momentum in the knockout rounds,” she said.
She further assured that the administration is determined to ensure off-field issues do not distract the players from their performance at the tournament.
“We move forward with one goal: Bringing the trophy home!” the minister declared.
The update is expected to ease concerns surrounding the Super Eagles’ preparations ahead of their crucial quarter-final encounter as Nigeria continues its AFCON 2025 campaign.
