EXCLUSIVE: NSC intervenes with ₦1 billion to end Super Eagles pay dispute in Morocco

By Mike Ndidi

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has stepped in decisively to restore calm in the Super Eagles’ camp in Rabat after players boycotted training over unpaid allowances and bonuses.

Reliable sources confirmed that an NSC delegation arrived in Morocco on Tuesday afternoon with ₦1 billion, which was disbursed directly to the players and officials, while the administrative share was handed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The move effectively ended the brief standoff that had disrupted preparations for Thursday’s World Cup playoff clash against Gabon.

Contrary to widespread reports that the NSC had earlier released the funds to the NFF, senior officials clarified that although the ₦1 billion had been approved earlier for the Super Eagles’ playoffs and outstanding payments, the funds were only released and received by the team in Rabat today.

“Approval was given for ₦1 billion to support the playoffs and settle the team’s allowances. Before the funds were released, the media had already reported that the NFF had received it, which wasn’t accurate,” an NSC chieftain told our correspondent.

“The NSC and NFF have now jointly met with the players. All issues have been resolved, and the team is focused again. Missing one training session will not affect their performance on Thursday, they are eager to qualify and make Nigeria proud,” he added.

Investigations revealed that the players’ protest stemmed from uncertainty over the timing of payments for their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and World Cup qualifying bonuses. When no clear communication was provided, they opted to suspend training until their concerns were addressed.

It was also gathered that the NFF and team representatives had previously agreed on a repayment structure for bonuses dating back to 2019, with those arrears reportedly cleared last year following a ₦5 billion supplementary request to augment the ₦12 billion earlier released for AFCON 2023.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian contingent, which includes representatives from the NSC, NFF, and the National Assembly Committees on Sports departed Abuja earlier today for Morocco to support the team in Thursday’s crucial playoff.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

See Full Bio