The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has responded to mounting concerns over unpaid bonuses and allowances owed to members of the Flying Eagles, Nigeria’s men’s U-20 national team, following complaints from players across the 2023 and 2025 squads.
Several members of the team have called on the federation to settle outstanding qualification bonuses and pre-tournament camp allowances accrued over a three-year period.
The players, who participated in competitions including the WAFU B Cup, U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and the FIFA U-20 World Cup, are reportedly owed payments linked to six major tournaments, as well as approximately 65 days of camping allowances.
Under coach Ladan Bosso, the 2023 Flying Eagles secured qualification for the U-20 AFCON and won the WAFU B Cup after defeating Benin Republic in the final. The team went on to finish third at the continental tournament in Egypt and reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina, where they were eliminated by South Korea.
In 2025, the team, led by coach Aliyu Zubair, finished runners-up at the WAFU B Cup after a narrow defeat to Ivory Coast but still qualified for the U-20 AFCON. They advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament after defeating Senegal on penalties, thereby securing qualification for the World Cup. The team ultimately placed fourth at AFCON before exiting the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile following a 4–0 loss to Argentina in the round of 16.
Sources within the federation indicated that players and backroom staff were promised a qualification bonus of $5,000 per tournament, alongside daily camp allowances of $100. These bonus structures were reportedly introduced after the NFF scrapped match bonuses for age-grade teams in 2017 under the board led by former president Amaju Pinnick.
However, some players allege that the federation may only be willing to pay outstanding daily allowances while withholding qualification bonuses. One player claimed that approximately 25 days of unpaid allowances from 2023 amount to $2,500 per individual, while about 40 days from 2025 total $4,000 each.
Another source suggested that the NFF has begun moves to address the debts ahead of its upcoming elective congress, amid concerns that the issue could become a point of contention.
Responding to the claims, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi dismissed suggestions that the federation intended to default on part of the payments. He stated that efforts were ongoing to settle the debts, although payments may not be made in full at once.
“If I were them, I would have waited to see. What evidence do they have that the NFF is planning to neglect part of the money?” Sanusi said.
He added thuat while immediate full payment may not be feasible, a significant portion of the outstanding sums would be paid, noting that all matches played by the team had received official approval.
The issue adds to a series of financial disputes involving the NFF, including bonus-related concerns raised by the Super Eagles during the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. In 2023, the House of Representatives Committee on Sports also summoned federation officials over similar issues affecting the Flying Eagles.
