Sports

NFF owes national teams despite FG’s N17b grant, CAF $4m largesse

Published

2 years ago

December 24, 2024

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Reports have emerged that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is still owing all the national team coaches and players backlogs of unpaid salaries and winning bonuses running into billions.

According to a source at the Sunday Dankaro House, players and officials of the Super Eagles, Super Falcons, Flying Eagles, and Golden Eaglets have not received their outstanding bonuses, even after President Bola Tinubu released N17 billion to the NFF to offset the debt.

In line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, President Bola Tinubu released N12 billion to the NFF in January to help the country’s soccer governing body clear all outstanding payments owed to the Super Eagles and other sporting teams. The funds were released by the presidency to offset senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months, allowance payments, and promises due to men’s and women’s senior and junior national teams.

The Presidency later released another N5 billion to the NFF, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) paid $4 million into the NFF’s coffers for Nigeria’s silver-winning performance at the AFCON 2023 held in Côte d’Ivoire.

However, the NFF is yet to settle the backlog of outstanding salaries and bonuses owed to national team players and officials, raising fears of a likely revolt from Super Eagles and Super Falcons players. The players have bitterly complained about their unpaid bonuses, while NFF executives reportedly earn their monthly salaries and receive substantial estacode for trips.

A top football stakeholder, who pleaded anonymity, exclusively said the billions from the presidency were diverted into settling hotel bills for all national teams during international engagements in 2024.

Additionally, Flying Eagles coach Ladan Bosso has not been paid his outstanding salaries since 2022, while sacked Golden Eaglets coach Nduka Ugbade and his backroom staff are still owed their dues from the same year. Sadly, both coaches have been dismissed by the NFF.

“The NFF is yet to clear several outstanding debts in the form of salaries and players’ winning bonuses. Both senior and junior national teams’ unpaid bonuses are still hanging on the NFF’s neck, and there are fears that players may revolt in 2025 to press home their demands.

“Even coaches and backroom staff are not left out, despite the N17 billion released by President Bola Tinubu this year. Don’t also forget that CAF paid the NFF $4 million for the Super Eagles’ second-place feat at the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.

“How can you divert such funds to offset hotel accommodation bills, which we all know have something to do with personal commissions from hotel racketeering? That is not what the money was meant for in the first place. All that the president said was to pay all outstanding debts, period!

“But the same NFF has been paying its scribe $10,000 per month while officials get estacode during trips, yet they have failed to offset the backlog of outstanding salaries and bonuses owed to players and officials. The big question is, where has the money gone?” a top football stakeholder lamented.

Already, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is bent on extending its probe into the finances of the NFF after the anti-graft agency sought clarifications from the National Sports Commission (NSC).

The Guardian’s reliable source at Aso Rock revealed that the move by President Bola Tinubu to set up a Presidential Support Group (PSG), saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, may not be unconnected with the NFF’s lack of accountability.

The Federal Government has earmarked N3 billion for the PSG, which was set up to assist the Super Eagles in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The start-up fund for the PSG has been captured in the country’s 2025 budget.

Nigeria aims to turn around its poor outing in the World Cup qualifiers after the Super Eagles could only muster three points from four matches, placing them in the sixth position in Group C.

“The Presidency now sees football as one major unifying factor in this country, and they know that Nigeria’s absence in the 2026 FIFA World Cup could deal a devastating blow to the government. In all fairness, President Tinubu has done his bit by releasing money to the NFF in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, but the soccer body has not lived up to expectations.

“That explains why the Presidency embraced the idea of setting up a Presidential Support Group (PSG) to revive the country’s fading World Cup hopes,” the source revealed.

Sports

Lionel Messi retires from international football

Published

3 weeks ago

August 31, 2026

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Argentina football legend, Lionel Messi, has drawn the curtain on his international football with Argentina after an illustrious career with the South American nation.

The 39-year-old made a total of 207 appearances, announced his retirement on Monday.

He won the World Cup in 2022, and was a runner-up in 2026 and 2014. He also secured two Copa América titles.

Messi wrote in a statement, “It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all – not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.

“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here.”

Messi, who made 207 appearances and reached three World Cup finals, is widely regarded by fans worldwide as the greatest footballer ever.

Sports

Tinubu orders comprehensive reform of Nigerian football after resignation of NFF board

Published

3 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football to ensure the national football team overcome repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and world tournaments.

“The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football,” he said.

Tinubu, according to a statement on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, the presidential spokesperson, made the decision to help the country “overcome repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and world tournaments”.

“Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system,” the president said.

The President noted that while other sports had recorded meaningful progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football has continued to struggle because of structural weaknesses within the system.

He stressed that Nigerian football must begin to match the country’s exceptional talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance.

President Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad, consultative reform process.

The process will include appropriate engagement with FIFA and CAF while safeguarding Nigeria’s obligations within the international football framework.

The President called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition and work together to build a stronger, more accountable and successful football system.

Sports

Ibrahim Gusau confirms resignation as NFF president, Mohammed Sanusi steps down as general secretary

Published

3 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

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Ibrahim Gusau has confirmed his resignation as the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The former chairman officially announced his resignation at a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday.

He said: “After consultation with family, friends and stakeholders, I just want to tell you that I have decided to resign from my position.

“As Nigerians, nobody is greater than this country. We all love our country and its progress. And as people who have been in football and managing football, we need to look at ourselves and ask, ‘What next?’ so we made a lot of consultations.”

Gusau added that he also advised members of the NFF board to follow his footsteps. He clarified, however, that he cannot say whether they would heed his advice.

A few minutes after Gusau’s announcement, the NFF, on its X page, confirmed the resignation of Mohammed Sanusi as the federation’s general secretary.

The mass resignation comes a few weeks after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the women’s World Cup for the first time since the competition’s inception. The disappointment triggered backlash for the NFF board members.

According to rumours, the NFF leadership was pressured to step down after intervention from top brass of the Federal Government, from the National Sports Commission (NSC) to the presidency.

Gusau was elected NFF president in 2022, and his tenure was supposed to end next month, with an elective congress scheduled for September 27.

The fate of the congress is uncertain as reports claim that a normalisation committee will be set up to oversee the federation’s affairs until further notice.

Under Gusau’s leadership, the Super Eagles, like the Falcons, also failed to qualify for the men’s 2026 World Cup, despite Africa getting 10 slots for the first time. The failure also extended to age-grade football, with the men’s U-17 and U-20 teams missing out on World Cups.