The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has attributed the delay in paying bonuses to the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to bureaucratic procedures, insisting that the funds have already been approved and released.
Dikko spoke on Thursday amid reports that Nigerian players threatened to boycott their AFCON quarter-final match against Algeria over unpaid bonuses.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the NSC chairman said the delay was due to administrative processes rather than a lack of funds. “The money has been released and is being processed,” he said.
He explained that several government institutions are involved in the disbursement process, including the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the National Sports Commission, the Presidency, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“Fundamentally, the money for this AFCON is approved and being processed through the right channels. It’s a matter of timing,” Dikko said, noting that approval does not automatically result in immediate payment.
According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a special budget for the tournament as far back as November 14, 2025, but the funds must still pass through the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General and the CBN before reaching the players.
The bonus issue has resurfaced concerns about player welfare during major tournaments, a recurring challenge that has, in the past, threatened the Super Eagles’ focus at international competitions.