Finance ministry confirms release of Super Eagles’ AFCON bonuses

The Federal Government has confirmed that all group-stage bonuses owed to Super Eagles players at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been released and should reflect in the players’ domiciliary accounts within hours.

The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed this on Thursday amid reports suggesting that members of the national team were considering boycotting training and might decline to travel to Marrakesh for their quarter-final encounter against Algeria over unpaid entitlements.

In a statement posted on her official X handle, Uzoka-Anite said the issue had been resolved through coordinated efforts between the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined processes to ensure faster and more predictable disbursements in line with international best practices,” she stated.

According to the minister, all bonuses earned by the players during the group stage of the tournament had been fully processed and cleared through the necessary regulatory procedures.

“All group-stage bonuses have been released and have passed the required regulatory stages,” she said.

Uzoka-Anite explained that a fast-track mechanism was introduced to accommodate the players’ preference for payment in foreign currency. She added that the final stage of the payment process was already underway.

“The final transfers to players’ domiciliary accounts are currently in progress and are expected to reflect from today (Thursday) or by tomorrow (Friday),” she noted.

She emphasised that the government remains committed to the welfare and morale of the Super Eagles as they advance into the knockout rounds of the competition, assuring that administrative issues would not be allowed to disrupt the team’s focus.

“Our priority is to fully support the team so they can sustain their momentum in the knockout stages.

“We are focused on one objective — bringing the trophy home,” the minister said.

The confirmation is expected to allay concerns surrounding the team’s preparations ahead of their quarter-final match as Nigeria continues its AFCON 2025 campaign.