The National Sports Commission (NSC) has confirmed that the Super Eagles will travel on Thursday to Marrakech for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against Algeria, following the resolution of concerns over unpaid player bonuses.
Nigeria’s impressive run at the tournament was briefly overshadowed by reports suggesting that players were considering a boycott of the last-eight encounter due to delays in the payment of match bonuses. However, the NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, dismissed the fears, assuring that the matter had been addressed.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Dikko confirmed that preparations for the crucial fixture were back on track. “First and foremost, I tell you, the team trained yesterday, definitely. The team will be traveling today, definitely,” he said.
He explained that the delay was the result of administrative procedures rather than a lack of approval, noting that the funds had already been sanctioned. “Let me give you the timelines of how the issues work. First and foremost, I must tell you that Mr. President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, duly approved the special budget for the AFCON as far back as November 14, 2025,” Dikko said. “But approving the money is different from getting the money out. It takes time for the money to be processed through Finance, the Office of the Accountant General, and the CBN.”
Dikko added that the players had already received their daily allowances for the tournament, which were paid “in cash as agreed.” He played down suggestions of unrest within the camp, stressing that much of the controversy was driven by speculation. “It’s normal for players to ask when alerts will come. But I don’t think any player made any public statement. It started from speculation,” he stated.
According to him, payments for match bonuses would begin imminently. “The players will start getting alerts maybe today or tomorrow for the first-round matches, and as they progress, payments for subsequent stages will follow,” he said.
Nigeria, three-time African champions, booked their place in the quarter-finals with a convincing 4–0 victory over Mozambique in the Round of 16. The Super Eagles will now face Algeria in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2019 AFCON semi-final, where a late free-kick from Riyad Mahrez sealed a 1–0 win for the North Africans, who went on to lift the trophy in Egypt.
