Stakeholders Demand Equal Pay for Home-Based Coaches

Stakeholders in Nigerian football are calling for equitable remuneration for home-based coaches after the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed Eric Chelle's new contract as head coach of the Super Eagles, valued at $100,000 per month. Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission, acknowledged the agreement with Chelle and emphasized the need for performance benchmarks.

Christoph Green, a former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, welcomed the principle of improved pay but insisted that local coaches should receive equal compensation for similar roles. He questioned the justification for Chelle's salary increase, especially given Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Gbenga Ogunbot, head coach of Plateau United, echoed calls for parity in salaries, arguing that if the NFF expects better performance from indigenous coaches, similar salary increases should apply to them. Mansur Abdullahi, a former assistant coach of the Super Falcons, expressed sympathy for Chelle's expanded role, which includes overseeing the U-23 team, but raised concerns about the workload associated with this dual responsibility.