NFF Admits Heavily Indebted to Hired Coaches
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that delays in paying several of its national team coaches are “nothing to be proud of.”
Some of the missing salary payments date back over a year and those affected include Super Eagles Head Coach, Jose Peseiro and Flying Eagles Coach, Ladan Bosso, who is currently leading Nigeria’s male U20 team at the World Cup in Argentina.
It is understood Bosso has only received three months’ salary in the past 15 months.
Meanwhile, with the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand less than two months away, Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum is owed more than $100,000, including bonuses from last year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
“The NFF has been facing huge financial challenges and there is an ongoing effort to resolve all the issues relating to unpaid wages,” the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, told BBC Sport Africa yesterday.
“It is unfortunately not something to be proud of and the new board of the federation is working hard to resolve the problems.”
Ibrahim Gusau, who replaced formerNFF President Amaju Pinnick in September, inherited some of the debts from his predecessor and has been appealing to players and officials for patience, meaning the coaches are yet to make an official complaint.
Gusau has made contact with sponsors in a bid to encourage them to settle long-standing debts but the federation, which receives part of its income from the government, also owes outstanding bonuses to players including members of both the senior men’s and women’s sides.
The most recent missing payments to Super Eagles players date back to 2021 while the Super Falcons squad boycotted training before their 2022 WAFCON thirdplace play-off against Zambia over the non-payment of both bonuses and allowances.
Likewise, members of the U20 squad, who played hosts Argentina in their last-16 tie last night, are also owed qualifying bonuses and tournament allowances.
One senior Super Eagle, who did not want to be named, said: “We understand the financial situation affecting the NFF.
“The new president recently spoke to the captain (Ahmed Musa) and other senior players about our outstanding bonuses.
“He has been speaking to some of the sponsors and sports ministry but we just hope that it will be sorted out as promised.”
It is not the first time Nigeria coaches have seen their wages go unpaid.
The list of those impacted is lengthy and includes Augustine Eguavoen, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Gernot Rohr, Florence Omagbemi and late Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shaibu.
The NFF insisted it is working to settle the current arrears.