- Players and officials of the U-23 team have yet to be paid their camp and match allowances for their participation in the qualification for the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations and the tournament in Egypt.
Players and officials of the U-23 team have yet to be paid their camp and match allowances for their participation in the qualification for the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations and the tournament in Egypt.
A member of the coaching crew who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said the NFF were owing each player $13,500 each.
For a win the U-23 players were expected to receive $3,000 each while for a draw and loss the team were entitled to $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.
“We have yet to be settled,” he told The PUNCH.
“No one has been paid, from players to officials, we have not been paid allowances for camping, match bonuses against Libya, Sudan, everything.
“We’ve not been paid for the AFCON U-23 qualifiers, the bonuses for the nations cup proper have also not been paid.
“Throughout the qualifiers and the tournament no player was paid.”
He also stated that the federation had promised to pay the players and officials as soon as they arrived in the country from Egypt but they have failed to do.
The team failed to book a spot in the football event of the forthcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after failing to finish in the top three of the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The team played a total of four qualifying games toward the U-23 AFCON that was held in Egypt recording two wins and two losses in the process.
A player, who was also a regular with the team also confirmed the non-payment to our correspondent.
“We have not been paid, it’s true. If they have paid us, people won’t come out to say we have not been paid,” he confirmed.
“We have tried to ask for the money, but no one has told us anything on when we would be paid,” he added.
NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire ended the call on several occasions, when our correspondent tried to call him for his reaction. He also did not reply text messages sent to this line as at the time of filing this report.
