Nigeria footballers in for big payday after mammoth goal bonus promise

Two of Nigeria’s richest men have promised collective incentives of R75 000 for every goal Nigeria score in their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semi-final against Algeria in Cairo on Sunday.

Bonus for Nigeria’s footballers

According to the president of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick, he has been in contact with Aliko Dangote, who is listed as the richest man in Africa, and oil tycoon Femi Otedola.

“Aliko has told me that for every goal you score, you score 10 goals and you get $500 000, you score one you get $50 000. Femi Otedola too. I called him and he said $25 000 for every goal scored,” Pinnick said in a meeting with the team, according to Standard Media.

Pinnick encouraged the side to use this as motivation even if Algeria scores back, because they will get more money for every goal.

“So, whether reply or no reply, you just keep scoring and that’s what you will do,” he said.

He even made vague promises that the bonuses wouldn’t stop there, but the lack of any extra detail could suggest it might have just been part of the motivational speech.

“And there is going to be more and more coming, that I can tell you for free,” Pinnick said.

Effective in front of goal

The news will almost certainly serve as effective motivation for the Super Eagles squad, who have managed at least one goal in all but a one of their Afcon fixtures so far.

Their only shut-out was in a dead-rubber Group B match once they had already qualified for the knockout rounds of the competition.

In total, they have scored seven goals in the competition – five of which were in their last two games against South Africa and Cameroon.

And that was before they were being incentivised with a R1 million bonus for every score.

Senegal take on Tunisia in the other semi-final to see who will play for the glory and the trophy in the final on Friday 19 July.