The Federal Government has confirmed that match bonuses for Nigeria’s national team at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 are now being paid following the successful streamlining of foreign exchange processing.
Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Finance, disclosed the development in an update posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, assuring that payments to players are already underway.
According to the minister, the Federal Government, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has resolved earlier administrative bottlenecks by aligning the foreign exchange process with international best practices to ensure timely and predictable disbursements.
“I am pleased to provide an update on the administrative progress regarding the match bonuses for our national team at AFCON 2025.
“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay.
“Going forward, the process will be fully streamlined to ensure faster, more predictable disbursements aligned with international best practice,” she said.
She explained that all group-stage match bonuses had been fully released and had cleared the required regulatory stages. In addition, a fast-track foreign exchange conversion mechanism has been implemented to move the funds into foreign currency in line with the players preferences.
Uzoka-Anite added that the final transfers to players domiciliary accounts are currently in progress, noting that beneficiaries can expect the funds to reflect in their accounts from today or by Friday.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the welfare of the team, the minister said the streamlined process would remain in place going forward to prevent delays in future payments.
“Our focus remains entirely on supporting the team’s welfare so they can maintain their incredible momentum in the knockout rounds,” she added.
She further noted that the government is united behind the national team as they continue their AFCON 2025 campaign, expressing confidence in their quest to bring the trophy home.
