The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission have opened investigations into the use of a N12bn Federal Government fund given to the Nigeria Football Federation for the payment of players’ wages, allowances and bonuses.
The two anti-corruption agencies began looking into the matter after concerns emerged over the management and use of the money approved by President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to settle outstanding payments owed to members of Nigeria’s national teams.
A source familiar with the investigation said some officials connected to the fund had already been invited by investigators. The officials reportedly appeared before the agencies, gave statements and were later released on administrative bail while the investigation continues.
The development was also confirmed through a response issued by the NFF to a request for access to records relating to the Federal Government intervention fund.
The response, dated August 18, 2026, was signed by Onoja Joshua on behalf of the NFF General Secretary. It followed a request from Cromwell & Okeke for financial documents and records showing how the N12bn was received and spent.
The request was made under the Freedom of Information Act and sought details of the fund, including financial records and utilisation documents.
However, the football federation refused to release the requested records, explaining that the documents had become part of the investigations being conducted by the EFCC and ICPC.
The N12bn was approved by the Federal Government in January 2024, shortly before the Super Eagles travelled to Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations. The intervention was meant to clear outstanding financial obligations involving Nigeria’s national teams.
The approved payment covered unpaid salaries of coaches of the senior national team, some of which had accumulated for as long as 15 months. It also included allowances and other outstanding payments owed to the senior men’s and women’s teams as well as the Under-20 national team.
Despite the intervention, complaints over unpaid allowances and bonuses have continued within Nigerian football.
In November 2025, members of the Super Eagles reportedly refused to train in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of their 2026 World Cup play-off against Gabon. The players complained about unpaid allowances dating back several years, including payments linked to their performances at major competitions and the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Some members of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles also raised similar concerns in April 2026. The players from the 2023 and 2025 teams claimed that the NFF owed them about N1.5bn in qualification bonuses and camp allowances connected to six major tournaments.
The latest investigation comes at a difficult period for Nigerian football, following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to secure a place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
The probe also comes ahead of the NFF elective congress scheduled for September 27, where the federation’s president, Ibrahim Gusau, is seeking another term.
Gusau became NFF president after winning the federation’s election in Benin City in September 2022. His administration has faced criticism over several issues surrounding the management of Nigerian football.
There have also been reports of a possible move by the National Sports Commission to halt the planned NFF election and establish a normalisation committee to oversee the affairs of the federation. The NFF board has denied such reports.
The EFCC and ICPC had not publicly provided further details on the investigation as of the time of filing the report.
The agencies are expected to examine the financial records and other documents connected to the N12bn intervention to determine how the money was received, managed and spent.