The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) owes about three months of wages to Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Franco-Malian manager was appointed back in January, with the sole aim of leading Nigeria to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dreadful start to their campaign under Jose Peseiro and Finidi George.
16 games after, despite Chelle’s good work, the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup. He steadied the ship and helped them qualify for the play-offs.
Before the semi-final play-off against Gabon, the Nigerian players opted to abscond from training over unpaid bonuses by the NFF. The player’s payments were sorted after.
A 4-1 win over Gabon then followed, and while 220 million Nigerians were hyped for the game against DR Congo.
However, Chelle’s first loss came in that game as the Congolese team edged the Super Eagles on penalties.
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NFF owe Eric Chelle two months’ salary
Having failed to qualify for the World Cup, the 48-year-old remained indifferent about the possibility of getting sacked. However, the NFF haven’t hinted at anything of such so far.
“I think you’d have to talk to the NFF and the commissioner because, actually, I did well,” the 48-year-old told Shina Oludare.
“I worked and I will work. I tried to be at my best.
“We gave our best. The players, the coaching officials and everyone. So, if anything happens, it won’t be the first,” Chelle concluded.
With the AFCON 2025 tournament on the horizon, reports indicate Chelle is owed up to three months’ salary and bonuses by the Nigeria Football Federation.
The former MC Oran coach reportedly earns around $55,000 per month, but didn’t push for the debt to be paid when the players went on strike in Morocco last month.
This echoes past issues on the part of the NFF with coaches like Gernot Rohr before the 2019 AFCON, and former Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum on several occasions.
According to a top @NatSportsComm official, speaking off the record, @NGSuperEagles head coach Eric Chelle is certainly owed wages. But the source says that it is TWO months and not three. “We have spoken to him and the money is going to be paid very shortly.”
According to this… https://t.co/2mDTve4vDL
— Osasu Obayiuwana (@osasuo) December 9, 2025
A report by renowned journalist Osasu Obayiuwana, however, revealed that plans to pay the Malian what he’s owed are in the works.
The Nigerian Federation will be looking to sort the coach’s payment issues so the entire team can focus squarely on the task at hand in the AFCON 2025 tournament.