Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the non-payment of match allowances owed to the Super Eagles, describing the situation as a national embarrassment that harms Nigeria’s image and demoralises the players.
Obi made the remarks in a statement shared on his verified social media pages on Wednesday, as reports emerged that players and members of the coaching crew threatened to boycott training and travel plans at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco over unpaid bonuses.
According to Obi, the Super Eagles have been a major source of joy and unity for Nigerians at a difficult time, yet are being distracted by issues that should not arise.
“At a time when Nigerians need joy and unity—something the Super Eagles have been providing by winning matches and lifting our spirits worldwide—these same players are being denied their basic match allowances,” Obi wrote.
He questioned the country’s priorities, noting that large sums are often written off for government agencies and political allies, while basic obligations to national representatives are neglected.
“A country that writes off trillions in debts for government agencies and political allies, and squanders money on grandiose, self-serving projects, now struggles to pay the basic match bonuses owed to our players,” he said.
Obi warned that the situation damages Nigeria’s reputation and places unnecessary pressure on the players ahead of an important quarter-final match.
“The Super Eagles do not deserve this embarrassment or the avoidable distractions ahead of a crucial quarter-final match. Nigeria must learn to fulfil its obligations,” he added.
He ended his remarks by restating his long-held belief in national renewal, saying, “A New Nigeria is possible.”
The latest controversy marks the second time in a few months that the Super Eagles have protested unpaid allowances. Reports from Morocco indicated that players and officials were unhappy over outstanding win bonuses at the tournament.
BBC Sport journalist Olúwashínà Okeleji reported on X that the team had not received win bonuses from four matches played against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Mozambique.
“Players and coaching staff of Nigeria are waiting on AFCON 2025 bonus payments. Win bonuses from four matches have yet to be received. Squad remain focused but will not train or travel to Marrakech on Thursday if this isn’t resolved,” Okeleji wrote.
However, Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, later said the issue had been resolved.
“The players were shown the documents that their payments had been processed, and they trained today, so there is no problem there,” Gusau told ESPN.
An official of the National Sports Commission also said the payments were being handled through the Central Bank of Nigeria and would reach players’ accounts within seven days.
“The funds were delayed because government is discouraging the transportation of cash, especially foreign currency, as it is currently against the law in Nigeria,” the official said.
The source added that only the bonus for the Mozambique match was still outstanding and would be processed soon, while extra performance bonuses promised by private supporters had already been paid.
Despite the off-field tension, the Super Eagles have been one of the standout teams at the tournament, winning all their group matches and thrashing Mozambique 4-0 in the round of 16.
Nigeria will face Algeria on Saturday in Marrakech for a place in the semi-finals.
The payment dispute is the latest in a long line of similar issues in Nigerian football. In November 2024, the Super Eagles boycotted training during World Cup qualifying playoffs over unpaid allowances, a crisis that was followed by their defeat to DR Congo and failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
