President Bola Tinubu has cleared the outstanding payment that the federal government owed the Super Eagles and other sporting teams in the country.
According to a statement on the X handle of Tinubu’s Media Centre, on Sunday, the payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months and payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and under-20 national teams.
The statement reads, “President @officialABAT has approved the payment of the N12 billion outstanding backlog for Nigeria’s national teams in various sports, which includes the Super Eagles and others.
“The payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months and payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and under-20 national teams.
“This is coming at a time when the Super Eagles of Nigeria are preparing to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations, which is billed to start later this month.”
In 2020, the Super Eagles complained that the Federal Government had yet to release the N1.5bn approved for them to compete at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Eagles finished third in the tournament, behind winners Algeria and runners-up Senegal.
A top source in the Nigeria Football Federation said that the NFF had to divert the funds meant for the Super Falcons and the Flying Eagles to prepare the Eagles for the tournament.
Also, in January 2022, Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa said FG owed his teammates bonuses for two games.
Musa disclosed this in a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday as the Super Eagles few for the Nations Cup.
“Regarding the bonus, I think they are just owing us for two games now. Yeah, two games,” Musa said. “There is no other outstanding game outside these two games.”
Musa added that the players will “be having a meeting with the coach and maybe the NFF officials so we can take the next step forward.”