Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi has pledged to personally settle outstanding win bonuses owed to his teammates if government payments are not completed before Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Algeria in Marrakech, MySportDab Reports.
The Super Eagles skipper made the commitment amid growing concerns that unpaid bonuses could disrupt Nigeria’s preparations for the crucial knockout tie.
Ndidi said his priority was to keep the squad fully focused on football rather than off-field issues that have long affected Nigerian national teams.
His intervention came after Super Eagles players threatened to boycott training and travel arrangements earlier this week, citing unpaid bonuses from four victories at the tournament, three group-stage wins and a dominant Round of 16 triumph over Mozambique.
In response, Nigeria’s Federal Government announced it had overhauled its payment process to prevent further delays. Minister of State for Finance Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite confirmed that the government, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, had streamlined foreign exchange procedures to accelerate bonus payments.
According to Uzoka-Anite, all group-stage bonuses have now cleared regulatory stages, with final transfers to players’ domiciliary accounts already underway. She added that a fast-track system has been implemented to ensure quicker and more predictable disbursements going forward.
Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Musa Gusau also assured that the payments had been processed and that players had been shown evidence to confirm the funds were in transit.
Officials attributed the delays to regulatory requirements surrounding foreign currency transfers.
Despite the disruption, the Super Eagles trained as scheduled and arrived in Marrakech on Thursday, easing fears of a repeat of past payment-related crises.
Ndidi’s pledge has drawn comparisons to former captain John Mikel Obi, who famously covered team expenses during Nigeria’s preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The episode highlights a recurring issue in Nigerian football, where players have frequently been forced to threaten boycotts to secure owed payments.
On the pitch, Nigeria remain firmly focused on the task ahead. Having won all four matches so far at AFCON 2025, including a 4–0 victory over Mozambique, the Super Eagles are among the tournament favourites as they prepare to face Algeria with a semi-final place at stake.
