Super Eagles captain, Wilfred Ndidi, has pledged to personally settle outstanding match bonuses for players and officials at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco if the Federal Government fails to make the payments before Saturday’s quarter-final clash against Algeria.
Ndidi made the commitment on Thursday amid growing concerns within the team’s camp over unpaid bonuses for Nigeria’s group-stage matches and the round of 16. He was quoted by BBC journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, stressing that he did not want the issue to disrupt the team’s focus and preparations.
“I’ve been pushing the team to train and play the game against Algeria since the second match,” Ndidi said. “I’ve now made a commitment to the players and staff that I’ll personally pay the bonuses if the authorities fail to do so before Saturday. I don’t want these unpaid bonuses to affect our preparations.”
Reports of a possible boycott of training and travel to Marrakech had earlier unsettled the Super Eagles’ camp. In response, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government had taken decisive steps to fast-track the payment process.
According to the minister, group-stage bonuses have already been released and cleared regulatory stages, while a newly streamlined foreign exchange process would ensure faster disbursement of subsequent payments in players’ preferred currencies.
“The final transfers to domiciliary accounts are currently in flight, and players can expect the funds to reflect from today or tomorrow,” Uzoka-Anite stated.
The Super Eagles arrived in Marrakech on Thursday and held another training session ahead of their quarter-final showdown with Algeria on Saturday, as Nigeria continues its quest for a fourth AFCON title after previous triumphs in 1980, 1994, and 2013.