Players from Nigeria’s U-20 men’s team have urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay outstanding qualification bonuses and camp allowances owed from major tournaments over the past three years.
Members of the Flying Eagles squads from 2023 and 2025 say they are still waiting for payments tied to six competitions, including the WAFU B Cup, the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The arrears also cover about 65 days of pre-tournament camp allowances.
Under coach Ladan Bosso, the 2023 side won the WAFU B Cup and reached the semi-finals of the AFCON before booking a World Cup ticket, where they fell to South Korea in the quarter-finals.
Two years later, the team led by Aliyu Zubair again secured AFCON qualification and a World Cup place after beating Senegal on penalties in the AFCON quarter-finals. They finished fourth at the continental tournament and were knocked out by Argentina in the World Cup round of 16.
According to Punch, the federation source said the agreed qualification bonus stood at 5,000 dollars per player and official per tournament, alongside camp allowances of 100 dollars per day. The payments were introduced after the board led by Amaju Pinnick scrapped match bonuses for age-grade teams in 2017.
Players fear the federation may only settle daily allowances. One team member told Punch, “We have information that they don’t want to pay all the money. We are told they only want to pay the outstanding daily allowances, which may mean avoiding the qualification bonuses. In 2023, there are about 25 days of outstanding allowances, which is about $2,500 each, and in 2025, there are about 40 days, amounting to $4,000 each.”
Another source claimed the debts are being addressed ahead of the federation’s elective congress. “At the last executive meeting, they said it was important to reduce some of the debts, especially at the Flying Eagles level, so it will not be used against them during the elections,” the source said.
NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi dismissed suggestions the payments would be ignored. “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?” he said. He added that while full settlement may not happen immediately, “a substantial amount will be paid”.
The federation has faced similar bonus disputes involving the Super Eagles following the 2025 AFCON and the troubled 2026 World Cup play-offs. In 2023, the House of Representatives Committee on Sports also summoned top officials over unpaid Flying Eagles bonuses and allowances.