NFF admits owing Peseiro, other coaches for several months

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has admitted owing coaches of the national teams several months’ salaries, saying that the delay in paying the emoluments is ‘nothing to be proud of,’ reports BBC Sport Africa.

It admitted that some of the missing salary payments date back over a year and those affected include Super Eagles’ Coach, Jose Peseiro and Flying Eagles’ manager, Ladan Bosso, who is currently leading the men’s U-20 team at the World Cup in Argentina.

It is understood that Bosso has only received three months’ salary in the past 15 months.

Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, who will lead the senior women national team to the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand less than two months away, 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,” NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, told BBC Sport Africa.

“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 former NFF 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 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 third-place play-off against Zambia over the non-payment of both bonuses and allowances.

Also, members of the U-20 squad, who faced hosts, Argentina, in their last-16 tie yesterday, are also owed qualifying bonuses and tournament allowances.

One senior Super Eagles player, who pleaded anonymity, 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. Nigeria squad

It is not the first time Nigerian 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 the late Stephen Keshi.

The NFF says it is working to settle the current arrears.