The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has presented a budget of
N2,084,053,765 (Two Billion, Eighty Four Million, Fifty-Three Thousand,
Seven Hundred and Sixty Five Naira) for the participation of the Super
Eagles at the 2014 World Cup.
NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu pleaded with the House of
Representatives Committee on Sports to assist the organisation in
approving the needed sum noting that with what the federal government
has approved for release for the team’s participation, the NFF will be
running into a budget deficit of about N829,893,436 (Eight Hundred and
Twenty Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand, Four
Hundred and Thirty Six naira).
Amadu said that the budget will cover the payment of the Super
Eagles’ players and officials’ allowances, winning bonuses up to the
quarter finals stage, accommodation and others.
According to the breakdown of the budget, the NFF has will pay
$10,000 as match bonus players. The Eagles will also receive $12,500 and
$15,000 if they qualify for the second round and the quarterfinals
stage respectively.
Like the players, the federation will also pay the chief coach,
Stephen Keshi, $20,000 winning bonus at the group stage, while his three
assistants will receive $15,000 each. Also Keshi’s winning bonus will
be raised to $22,500 and $25,000 if the Eagles qualify for the round of
sixteen and quarterfinals stage respectively, while his three assistants
winning bonus as well as other officials in the team will also be
increased at the same 25%.
“Considering the good performance of the Nigeria Football Federation
last year, I would have seen a situation where the federation is asked
to take a bow and go, but I also see the significance in asking the NFF
to speak particularly on its tremendous outings last year,” Amadu told
the House Committee.
“With the budget we have this year, we expect to surpass our
performance last year. Everybody knows that we went to the African
Nations Cup last year. Nobody gave us a chance but by the grace of God
and the support of government, we won the AFCON. We also won the U17
World Cup for the fourth time in the United Arab Emirates, the Super
Eagles also qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil for the fifth
time, with other trophies which the various national teams won at
various levels. Nigeria has also played top quality international
friendly matches.
“For the World Cup, the budget we have is N2, 084,053,765 and from
what we are envisaging, government may likely give us N1, 254,160,329.
So there will be a shortfall in this World Cup budget to the tune of
N829, 839,436 and the way we look at it this amount the government is
bringing N1.2b will only take the Super Eeagles to the round of 16 match
in terms of the bonuses to be paid, air ticket, estacodes, preparation
and the rest of it.
“Then it means of course that we will have a budget deficit to the
World Cup that is why we are placing this budget before the House
Committee to have a look at it because the strategy is for us to go
beyond any other African country in Brazil, which is the quarter final
stage. If we get the budget that we have put together, Nigeria will be
able to do not only ourselves proud but also the African continent.
“I want to say that there are some money that are due to Nigeria
from FIFA for the World Cup preparation, part of that money has come to
us and we are utilizing it to prepare the super eagles for the world
cup. We do envisage also that when the World Cup takes place, the
minimum money that will be generated by the NFF for participation will
be about $8m.
“But when you remove taxes, it comes to about $7m that the NFF will
receive. The minimum guarantee for the participation in the World Cup is
$8m for any country that goes through the group stage, but of course if
you go to the round of 16 or the quarterfinals, it goes higher. In the
last World Cup in 2010, we were guaranteed $8m but eventually we
received about $6.5m after tax deductions from FIFA.
“So Mr. Chairman, this is the budget summary for 2014 FIFA World Cup
in Brazil, we are believing that with the support of the house and the
federal government, we should be able to go to the World Cup and do
Nigeria proud,” Amadu concluded.
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