Nigeria Football Federation seeks corporate sponsorships to fund foreign coach for Super Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is actively pursuing corporate sponsorships from major companies, including the Dangote Group, MTN, and Baba Ijebu, to address financial challenges related to appointing a foreign coach for the Super Eagles.

This development comes in the wake of a failed agreement with Bruno Labbadia, who was announced as the new head coach only days before the contract collapsed.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau made the announcement during a recent appearance before the House Committee on Sports, where he discussed the federation’s 2025 budget.

He emphasised the importance of securing financial backing to facilitate the hiring of a new foreign coach. “We are currently in discussions with Dangote Group, BUA, MTN, Baba Ijebu, and others regarding the payment for a foreign coach,” Gusau stated.

He acknowledged the commendable performance of interim coach Augustine Eguavoen but reiterated the federation’s commitment to appointing a foreign coach once the financial issues are resolved.

Gusau further noted that the federal government had not settled the outstanding salaries of previous coaches until February, resulting in an 18-month debt to former coach Jose Peseiro.

This debt was addressed only after intervention from President Tinubu’s administration. “Until last February, the Federal Government did not pay the salary of our former coaches, leading to an 18-month debt for Jose Peseiro, which the current government has now cleared,” he added.

With ongoing discussions for sponsorship support, the NFF aims to find a sustainable solution to the financial hurdles associated with appointing foreign coaches and to ensure the continued success of the Super Eagles.