By our reporter 8.1.2026
National Sports Commission chairman, Shehu Dikko has attributed the delay in the payment of entitlements to the Super Eagles at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, to bottle necks at the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Super Eagles on Wednesday refused to get on the bus and travel to Marrakesh or even train ahead of their quarter-final tie against Algeria’s Desert Warriors, because the Nigeria Football Federation failed to pay daily allowances and match bonuses after the team won all their group C games and round of 16 tie against Mozambique.
Speaking to new reporters in Fez, Mallam Dikko said the issue has been resolved and the players have been assured they would get all their money. He stated that before the tournament the NFF and the players agreed on what they would be paid, and all the entire budget for the campaign in Morocco was drawn up and given to President Bola Tinubu, which he expressly approved since November 14, 2025.
He submitted that the players wanted their daily allowances paid in cash, which was not readily available, but according to him, that has been sorted out.
“You know approving the money is different, and processing the money is different.
“The Ministry of Finance and CBN are working to make sure everything comes on time, at least the boys know that everything is in place,”
“But at least the players know that the money has been approved and we are processing the funding to get the money,” Mallam Dikko a former vice president of the NFF said.
“The players know clearly what they are playing for and they know clearly their bonuses until we get to the final and it has been agreed by the players, and they know.”
Mixed reactions greeted the Super Eagles decisions to sit out their training, while some fans agreed with their line of action, others warned that the distraction could cost Nigeria the match against Algeria.
But a football administrator who spoke to Mainland Metro News blamed the NFF and the NSC for the often-embarrassing players boycott of training at tournaments.
“The NFF is simply incompetent, and they lack understanding of what it takes to motivate the players to do more in a crucial tournament,” said the football official.
“Money has been approved but not yet released that is the same storyline they have all the time to explain their incompetency all the time. If money has been approved why not get funds from other sources and whenever the government money comes pay back?
“You have so many government officials there in Morocco, how did they get their own funding for the trip and upkeep while there?”