Super Eagles get major boost as Finance Ministry makes bold AFCON 2025 bonus payment pledge

Nigeria's Ministry of Finance has delivered a crucial lifeline to the Super Eagles, promising swift resolution of the bonus dispute that threatened to derail their AFCON 2025 quarter-final campaign just days before their showdown with Algeria.

The intervention comes after players and coaching staff threatened to boycott training following four consecutive victories without receiving their promised match bonuses, a familiar scenario that has haunted Nigerian football at previous tournaments.

Minister of State for Finance, Hon. Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has implemented emergency measures to bypass bureaucratic delays and process payments directly into players' domiciliary accounts.

"I am pleased to provide an update on the administrative progress regarding the match bonuses for our national team at AFCON 2025," the minister stated.

"The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay."

The crisis erupted on Wednesday, when players reached breaking point after winning four matches, three group stage games against Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, plus their Round of 16 victory over Mozambique, without seeing a naira of their promised compensation.

The financial package at stake is substantial. Players were owed $30,000 each for the three group stage victories, plus $12,500 for defeating Mozambique.

Additionally, the team collectively earned $80,000 in goal bonuses for their 12 goals scored so far in the tournament.

With further incentives of $15,000 for a quarter-final win, $17,500 for reaching the final, and $20,000 for lifting the trophy, the stakes, both sporting and financial, couldn't be higher.

Minister Uzoka-Anite confirmed that all administrative hurdles have been cleared: "All group-stage bonuses were fully released and have now cleared the necessary regulatory stages. The final transfers to domiciliary accounts are currently in flight. Players can expect these funds to reflect starting today or tomorrow."

The government has also promised systemic reform. "Going forward, the process will be fully streamlined to ensure faster, more predictable disbursements aligned with international best practice," the minister pledged

With the crisis resolved, the Super Eagles have resumed training and travelled to Marrakech for Saturday's quarter-final against Algeria.

The team is now focused on ending Nigeria's 13-year AFCON drought, free from the financial distractions that have derailed past campaigns.

As the minister concluded: "Our focus remains entirely on supporting the team's welfare so they can maintain their incredible momentum in the knockout rounds. We move forward with one goal: Bringing the trophy home!"

Whether this marks a genuine turning point in Nigerian football administration or just another temporary fix remains to be seen. For now, the Super Eagles can concentrate on what they do best, playing football.