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President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has firmly denied reports suggesting that the Super Eagles are being owed match bonuses for as many as 30 games, describing such claims as “totally misleading and unfounded.”
Gusau, while speaking during an interview on Elegbete TV on Wednesday, said the federation had long settled all outstanding payments owed to the national team.
He noted that new financial arrangements had been agreed upon with players ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
According to him, the NFF had made it a priority to clear all backlogs immediately after last year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to prevent any form of monetary disputes during the qualifiers.
“It’s absolutely false that we owe for 30 matches,” Gusau stated. “After the AFCON, we met with the team leaders and resolved all financial matters.
“I made it clear that I didn’t want money issues affecting our World Cup preparations, and since then, everything has been paid and properly documented.”
His clarification follows reports alleging that the Super Eagles boycotted a training session on Tuesday in Rabat, Morocco, over unpaid bonuses ahead of their crucial playoff against Gabon.
Sources claimed the protest disrupted the team’s second training session, though the players reportedly returned to camp on Wednesday after discussions with NFF officials.
However, Gusau dismissed the narrative of a crisis in camp, insisting that the NFF and the National Sports Commission have maintained a transparent and consistent payment system.
“The players now receive an appearance fee for each game, handled directly through the National Sports Commission,” he explained. “There’s no ambiguity about it.”
Team captain William Troost-Ekong also weighed in, rejecting reports that the players had demanded $15,000 each per playoff match.
He emphasised that the team remained united and focused on qualification, rather than financial distractions.
“Any claim about fresh bonus demands is simply untrue,” Troost-Ekong clarified. “Once there’s an official resolution, we’ll communicate it. For now, our minds are set on securing qualification and making the country proud.”
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Gabon at 5 p.m. today at the Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat.
The winner of the tie will proceed to face either DR Congo or Cameroon in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico, a key step toward booking one of Africa’s remaining World Cup tickets.