As Nigeria gears up for the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of N12 billion to settle all pending salaries owed to the Super Eagles and other national sports teams.
The announcement, shared via President Tinubu’s official social media handles, noted that the allocated funds aim to clear the backlog of salaries owed to senior national team coaches, as well as outstanding allowances and commitments due to the senior national teams, female teams, and the Under-20 national team.
It was revealed that the payment addresses the clearance of senior national team coaches’ salaries spanning up to 15 months, along with the settlement of due allowances and promises to the senior national teams, female teams, and the Under-20 national team.
The terse statement read: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the payment of N12billon outstanding backlog for Nigeria’s National teams of various sports, which includes super eagles and others.
“The payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months, payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and Under-20 national team.
“This is coming at a time when the Super Eagles of Nigeria are preparing to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations, which is billed to start later this month.”
The 2023 AFCON will kick off from 13th January to 11th February 2024 in the Ivory Coast as 24 nations compete for the title.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are in Group A alongside host Ivory Coast and Africa’s other two Guinean nations – Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.
The Super Eagles will kick off their quest for a fourth AFCON title.
They will take on Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, 14th January 14, in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with Ivory Coast on 18th January and Guinea Bissau on 22nd January.
