Super Eagles Threaten Strike Over Unpaid Bonuses Ahead of Algeria Clash
As Nigeria prepares for a high-stakes Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Algeria in Marrakesh, the Super Eagles camp is once again engulfed in turmoil.
According to journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, players have warned they will not train or travel for the match unless their unpaid allowances for games against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique are settled.
Reports from SCORENigeria confirm growing discontent in Fes, Morocco, where the team is based.
Grumblings over unpaid win-bonuses have become louder, with players holding several meetings and openly discussing another pay strike.
‘The boys are not happy that they are yet to be paid any win-bonus,’ a source told the outlet. Officials had promised payment before the Round of 16 clash against Mozambique but failed to deliver.
The crisis is not new. Just last month, the Super Eagles boycotted training ahead of a CAF 2026 World Cup playoff against Gabon in Morocco, protesting outstanding bonuses and allowances.
This latest standoff threatens Nigeria’s chances of progressing to the semifinals of AFCON 2025, with the Algeria showdown scheduled for Saturday.
Top officials have blamed the situation on delays in the release of funds by the Federal Government, though part of the players’ camp allowances were reportedly paid on Tuesday.
Still, the bigger question looms: how did the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) find money to fly, accommodate, and pay its executive committee members, 37 state FA chairmen, and a large entourage of officials to Morocco, while the players themselves remain unpaid?
Stakeholders are now demanding accountability, arguing that the NFF’s priorities appear skewed, rewarding administrators while leaving the athletes, who carry the nation’s hopes, to fight for their rightful entitlements.
