The National Sports Commission (NSC) has given the reason behind the delay in the payment of bonuses to players of the Super Eagles at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Chairman of the commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, said the delay was caused by bureaucratic processes involved in the release of government funds, and not because the money was unavailable.
Dikko spoke on Thursday amid reports that members of the Nigerian team were unhappy over unpaid bonuses and had allegedly threatened to boycott their quarter-final match against Algeria. 
He clarified that funds meant for the Super Eagles had already been approved and released, but were still passing through required administrative stages before reaching the players.
According to him, the payment process involves several government institutions, including the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the National Sports Commission, the Presidency, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The money for this AFCON has been approved and is currently being processed through the right channels. It is mainly an issue of timing and procedure,” Dikko said during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
He disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the special AFCON budget as far back as November 14, 2025, stressing that approval does not automatically translate to immediate disbursement.
“After presidential approval, the funds still have to go through the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the CBN before they can be paid to beneficiaries,” he explained.
Dikko appealed for patience from the players and Nigerians, assuring that the matter would be resolved soon once the processing stages are completed. He added that the welfare of the Super Eagles remains a priority for the commission and the Federal Government.
