Super Eagles captain, Wilfred Ndidi, has stepped forward to ease rising tension in the national team by offering to personally cover the players’ unpaid bonuses amid delays from the Nigerian authorities.
Ndidi made the offer while appealing to his teammates not to boycott training ahead of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final showdown against Algeria scheduled for Saturday.
Reports indicate that Eric Chelle’s side initially declined to travel to Marrakech in protest over the unpaid entitlements but later proceeded with the trip, holding out hope that the outstanding bonuses would be settled in time.
Speaking on the development, Ndidi revealed that he had consistently encouraged the squad to remain focused and committed since the tournament’s second match.
“I’ve been pushing the team to train and play the game against Algeria. I’ve been doing this since the second game,” he said.
He further disclosed that he had made a firm commitment to both players and officials to personally step in if the payments are not made before the crucial encounter.
“I’ve now assured the players and the coaching staff that I will personally pay the bonuses if the authorities fail to do so before Saturday,” Ndidi stated.
Emphasising the importance of focus and unity, the midfield general added that he did not want financial issues to disrupt the team’s preparation.
“I don’t want unpaid bonuses to affect our preparations. I told the players and coaching staff that I would personally make the payments if the money doesn’t come,” he added.
The Super Eagles will face Algeria in a high-stakes quarter-final as they continue their quest for continental glory at AFCON 2025.
