President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has refuted recent reports alleging that the Super Eagles are owed match bonuses from up to 30 previous games.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, Gusau insisted that the federation had already settled all outstanding payments and finalized a new bonus structure with the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
“It’s not true that we are owing bonuses for 30 matches,” Gusau clarified. “Right after the AFCON last year, we met with the team leaders, discussed the issue, and reached an agreement. I didn’t want us to enter the World Cup qualifiers with any financial distractions. Everything was cleared.”
His clarification followed reports that the Super Eagles had boycotted a training session on Tuesday in Rabat, Morocco, in protest over alleged unpaid bonuses before their crucial playoff against Gabon.
According to sources, the players missed their second training session but later resumed camp on Wednesday after a resolution was reached.
Gusau further explained that the NFF, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, had designed a structured payment system to ensure transparency and avoid disputes in the ongoing qualifiers.
“Each time the team reports for duty, they receive an appearance fee — and this is handled directly through the National Sports Commission,” the NFF President stated.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong also dismissed reports claiming the players demanded $15,000 per playoff match.
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“Once any resolution is reached, we’ll communicate it ourselves,” Troost-Ekong said. “Any other claims are false. Our focus remains on winning the matches ahead.”
Nigeria will face Gabon today at 5 p.m. at the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan in Rabat. The winner of the encounter will progress to face DR Congo or Cameroon in the next round of playoffs for a chance to secure a spot in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico, where two final 2026 World Cup slots will be contested.
