Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has made an extraordinary and unprecedented commitment to Nigeria’s national team, pledging to personally settle all outstanding match bonuses at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco if the Federal Government fails to do so before Saturday’s quarter-final clash against Algeria.
The Besiktas midfielder’s intervention comes at a delicate moment, with reports of unpaid bonuses threatening to distract a Nigerian side firmly in contention for continental glory.
Unpaid Bonuses Spark Camp Concerns
Tension has been simmering within the Super Eagles camp following reports that bonuses for four matches remain unpaid. These include Nigeria’s three group-stage fixtures against Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, as well as the emphatic round-of-16 victory over Mozambique.
The situation raised fears of potential unrest, with earlier reports suggesting players and officials were considering boycotting training and delaying travel to Marrakech in protest.
Ndidi Steps In to Protect Team Focus
Speaking after assurances from the Federal Government, Ndidi revealed he has been working behind the scenes to keep the squad focused on football rather than finances.
“I’ve been pushing the team to train and play the game vs Algeria. I’ve been doing this since the second game,” Ndidi said.
The Super Eagles skipper then went a step further, making his personal commitment clear to both players and staff.
“I’ve now made a commitment to the staff and players that I’ll personally pay the bonuses if the authorities fail to before Saturday.”
Emphasizing his desire to shield the team from distractions, Ndidi added:
“I don’t want these unpaid bonuses to affect our preparations. I told players and coaching staff that I’d personally make the payments if they don’t get it.”
His stance has been widely praised as a powerful act of leadership at a critical stage of the tournament.
Government Assurances and Payment Timeline
In response to the growing concern, Minister of State for Finance Doris Uzoka-Anite issued a detailed update on Thursday, outlining steps taken to resolve the issue and prevent future delays.
“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay,” she wrote on X.
Uzoka-Anite confirmed that all group-stage bonuses had passed key administrative stages and that reforms had been introduced to speed up future payments.
“Going forward, the process will be fully streamlined to ensure faster, more predictable disbursements aligned with international best practice,” she stated.
She also addressed players’ preferences regarding payment currency.
“We have implemented a fast-track conversion process to move funds into foreign currency, honoring the players’ preferences. The final transfers to domiciliary accounts are currently in flight.”
According to the minister, players should begin seeing the funds reflected between Thursday and Friday.
Focus Shifts Back to Algeria Showdown
Despite the off-field turmoil, the Super Eagles arrived in Marrakech on Thursday and held another training session as preparations intensified for Saturday’s quarter-final encounter against Algeria.
Nigeria are chasing a fourth AFCON title, having previously lifted the trophy in 1980, 1994, and 2013. After finishing as runners-up at the last edition, expectations are high for the Super Eagles to go one step further in Morocco.
With Ndidi’s leadership steadying the ship and government assurances easing tensions, Nigeria will now hope to let their football do the talking as they continue their quest for continental supremacy.
