Nigeria’s captain Wilfred Ndidi has shown the leadership qualities that gave him the Super Eagles armband by offering to pay outstanding bonuses for his teammates and country staff
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has stepped forward with a dramatic intervention as Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign risks being overshadowed by unpaid bonuses.
With tensions rising ahead of the quarter-final clash against Algeria, the midfielder has vowed to personally cover the players’ entitlements if authorities fail to act in time.
Ndidi offers to pay teammates to prevent boycott
According to respected journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, Ndidi has made an extraordinary commitment in a bid to keep the Super Eagles focused on football.
The Besiktas star revealed he has been pushing the squad to continue training and remain committed to preparations despite the ongoing bonus dispute.
“I’ve been pushing the team to train and play the game vs Algeria. I’ve been doing this since the second game,” Ndidi was quoted as saying. He went further by assuring both players and coaching staff that he would personally step in if necessary. “I’ve now made a commitment to the staff & players that I’ll personally pay the bonuses if the authority fail to before Saturday. I don’t want this unpaid bonuses to affect our preparations.”
The offer comes amid reports that players were considering boycotting training and travel to Marrakech after failing to receive win bonuses from victories over Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique.
Nigeria topped Group C with a perfect record before thrashing Mozambique 4–0 in the Round of 16, making the standoff particularly frustrating at such a crucial stage.
NFF and CBN respond as pressure mounts
As the situation escalated, the Nigerian Football Federation moved to calm nerves by explaining the delay.
According to a previous Pulse Sports Nigeria report, a senior NFF official confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria is processing the payments directly into the individual bank accounts of players and officials.
The federation insists the funds have been released and that all outstanding bonuses will be paid once the banking process is completed.
With the Super Eagles set to face Algeria on Saturday, January 10, the NFF will be hoping Ndidi’s leadership and the promised payments prevent a damaging distraction as Eric Chelle’s side chase AFCON glory.