The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has confirmed that the federation is in discussions with major companies, including Dangote Group, MTN, and Baba Ijebu, to address the ongoing issue of paying foreign coaches. Gusau revealed this during a meeting with the House Committee on Sports while defending the NFF's 2025 budget on Wednesday. The conversations with these prominent sponsors aim to secure the necessary funds to ensure timely payment for the Super Eagles' head coach.
The NFF's search for a foreign coach hit a major hurdle recently when their deal with Bruno Labbadia, the intended Super Eagles coach, fell through just days after being announced. Gusau acknowledged the embarrassment caused by the ongoing payment challenges and confirmed that resolving this issue was a top priority for the NFF. He stated that the federation could not proceed with hiring a foreign coach until the payment issue was fully addressed and secured.
Payment for foreign coaches has been a longstanding problem for the NFF. Gusau pointed out that until earlier this year, the Federal Government had not paid the salaries of the federation’s previous coaches, leading to an 18-month backlog of unpaid wages for former Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro. He emphasized that the debt was only cleared when the President Tinubu-led government intervened. Gusau stressed that this situation could not be allowed to repeat itself if the NFF was to engage another foreign coach.
Despite the challenges, Gusau noted that interim coach Austin Eguavoen had been performing well, but the NFF remained committed to hiring a foreign coach for the team’s future. However, he insisted that securing financial backing from sponsors was a prerequisite for making any coaching changes. The NFF’s primary focus is ensuring that all financial obligations are settled before committing to a new coach, to prevent further disruptions and embarrassment.
The discussions with corporate sponsors like Dangote, BUA, MTN, and Baba Ijebu reflect a growing effort by the NFF to secure private sector support for Nigerian football. By diversifying funding sources, the NFF aims to stabilize the financial aspects of the national team’s operations, making it easier to maintain a steady coaching staff and ensure the Super Eagles' continued success on the international stage.
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