The Super Falcons have reportedly rejected an attempt by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay President Bola Tinubu’s $100,000 reward in Naira, demanding instead that the funds be settled in dollars.
Sports analyst Aron Akerejola, speaking on the matter, explained that the delay in disbursing the funds was not due to negligence by the NFF, but because the players turned down the local currency option.
“The part of the story they are not telling is that these girls were given the money,” Akerejola said. “The NFF proposed paying their allowances in Naira at the rate of N1,530 to a dollar. The players refused, saying, ‘We don’t live in Nigeria. What will we do with Naira?’
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He disclosed that following the players’ refusal, the NFF returned the money to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for conversion into dollars, a process that further delayed payment. “It’s not the fault of the NFF. The government released the money, but the players rejected Naira. That’s why it dragged on,” he added.
Confirming the situation, team captain Rasheedat Ajibade recently told reporters that the squad had yet to receive Tinubu’s promised bonus. “We have not received our money, but hopefully, it will be paid,” she said.
President Tinubu had announced the $100,000 cash reward, alongside national honours and housing allocations, for the Super Falcons following their triumph at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
