RismadarVoice Reporters
January 8, 2026
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has said that all financial entitlements of Super Eagles players and officials have been resolved, dismissing reports of a possible boycott of training or travel ahead of Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 match against Algeria.
Dikko spoke amid speculation that players were unhappy over unpaid allowances and bonuses.
Dikko told newsmen that President Bola Tinubu approved the Super Eagles’ budget for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in November 2025, ensuring alignment among the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and the players.
“The President approved the entire AFCON budget on November 14, 2025. From our end, the funding has been fully cleared,” Dikko said.
He explained that while approval and disbursement were separate processes, the players were aware that the funds had been approved and were being processed.
“Approving the money is one thing, processing it is another, but the players know the funds have been approved,” he added.
Dikko disclosed that meetings were held with officials of the NFF, as well as the team captain, co-captain and senior players, to agree on tournament bonuses.
“We sat down, negotiated and agreed on what the players are entitled to up to the final. Everybody is clear,” he said.
According to him, the players understood, accepted their incentive structure before the tournament began.
“The players know exactly what they are playing for and what their bonuses are at every stage,” Dikko stated.
He noted that only daily allowances were requested in cash and that those had already been settled.
“The only cash request was daily allowances, and that has been sorted and made available,” he said.
Dikko added that match bonuses had also been approved and were currently being processed for payment.
“The bonuses have been approved. The process is ongoing and the money will come,” he said.
He further disclosed that the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria were working to ensure timely disbursement.
“The Ministry of Finance and the CBN are on this, so everything will come on time,” he added.
Super Eagles have won all their matches so far in the competition, scoring 12 goals to reach the quarter-finals.
Nigeria will face Algeria’s Desert Foxes for a place in the semi-finals and are expected to depart Fès for Marrakech on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s encounter at the Stade de Marrakech, scheduled for 5p.m.
