Nigeria?s quest to make any appreciable impact in the 2025 football calendar may hit the rocks after reports 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.

The Guardian?s reliable source at the Sunday Dankaro House exclusively revealed on Monday that 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 C?te 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 told The Guardian that 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 C?te 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. (The Guardian)

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