Nigeria’s government says outstanding bonus payments to the Super Eagles are on their way, easing tensions after players threatened to boycott training at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Doris Nkiruka, said the transfer of bonuses to players’ accounts is already “in flight” and should be completed by Thursday, 8 January, or Friday, 9 January 2026.

Her comments come after reports that members of the national team had warned they would suspend training if bonuses owed from earlier matches were not paid by Thursday.

Nigeria are preparing to face Algeria in the quarter-finals of the tournament in Morocco on Saturday, 10 January, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 GMT. The Super Eagles remain unbeaten after four matches at the competition.

In a statement posted on her official X account, Dr Nkiruka sought to reassure players and fans that the matter was close to resolution.

“I am pleased to provide an update on the administrative progress regarding the match bonuses for our national team at AFCON 2025,” she wrote.

She explained that the Federal Government, working with the Central Bank of Nigeria, had resolved foreign exchange processes that had delayed payments.

“The Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria have successfully streamlined the foreign exchange processing to ensure our players are rewarded without further delay,” she said.

According to the minister, all group-stage bonuses have already been released and cleared regulatory requirements, with final transfers to players’ domiciliary accounts now underway.

“The final transfers are currently in flight. Players can expect these funds to reflect starting today or tomorrow,” she added.

Dr Nkiruka stressed that the priority was to protect the welfare of the players as they push deeper into the tournament.

“Our focus remains entirely on supporting the team’s welfare so they can maintain their incredible momentum in the knockout rounds,” she said. “We move forward with one goal, bringing the trophy home.”

With the Algeria clash approaching, Nigerian fans will hope the off-field issue is swiftly resolved, allowing the Super Eagles to turn their full attention to the pursuit of a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.