Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles Salary to Double to $100,000 Per Month as NFF and NSC Agree New Contract Terms

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is set to see his monthly salary rise from $50,000 to $100,000 — equivalent to over 100 billion naira — after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) reached an agreement on new contract terms for the Franco-Malian coach.

The agreement was confirmed by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko following a high-level meeting between officials of both bodies in Abuja. “With this new contract and new remuneration, I think the NFF will do the necessary and finalise it. I can confirm to you we have agreed new terms with the coach. We have agreed to settle with the coach about his new remuneration; we are going to increase his money,” Dikko stated.

According to reports, Chelle had initially requested a monthly package of $130,000 following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The agreed figure of $100,000 falls short of that request, though it represents a 100% increase on his previous salary. Under the new arrangement, the NFF will separately cover the salaries of Chelle’s assistant coaches, taking direct responsibility for the remuneration of the entire backroom staff.

Beyond the financial terms, the meeting produced a significant structural decision: Chelle will now also assume responsibility for Nigeria’s U-23 national team, the Dream Team. The move is designed to create a unified footballing philosophy across the country’s national team setups. “We also agreed with the NFF that the coach will also take care of the U-23 national team. Instead of having different ideas, let’s have ideas from the U-23 to the Super Eagles,” Dikko explained.

The decision carries particular weight given the U-23 Eagles’ recent struggles at junior level. Nigeria has failed to qualify for the last two Olympic Games and last appeared at the Olympics at Rio 2016, where the team claimed a bronze medal under then-coach Samson Siasia. Bringing the senior and U-23 structures under one coach is intended to address that gap by introducing consistent tactical and developmental principles from youth level upward.

Dikko framed the broader restructuring as part of Nigeria’s long-term ambitions on the continental and global stage, with the 2030 FIFA World Cup cited as a key target. “The objective is we have to build for 2030 now. We have to start building by bringing in the young ones now that would join the team, which is putting the blocks and the foundation,” he said.

Chelle took charge of the Super Eagles in late 2024 and guided the side to a third-place finish at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco — a result that strengthened his standing with Nigerian football authorities despite falling short of the final. His next major target with the senior side is the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The formalisation of his new contract is now expected to be completed by the NFF in the coming period, with the Abuja meeting representing the key breakthrough in prolonged negotiations.