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Former Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal has questioned whether the NFF can sustain Chelle’s $100k salary after the head coach’s contract was extended.
The Gist
- Garba Lawal questions NFF affording Chelle’s pay
- Coach contract extended to 2030
- Salary set at $100k monthly
Lawal backed the decision to keep the Franco-Malian in charge. But he warned that paying that wage every month could prove difficult for Nigerian football.
The concern over Chelle’s $100k salary
Eric Chelle joined the Super Eagles in January 2025 on an initial two-year deal. His contract has since been extended through to 2030 by the National Sports Commission.
He originally earned about $50,000 a month, a figure that also covered his assistants. In talks he reportedly asked for $130,000 before both sides settled on $100,000.
Under the new terms, the federation is also responsible for the wages of his backroom staff. That pushes the overall cost of the technical team higher.
Lawal said his worry was simple. He stated that he only feared Nigeria might not be able to sustain that payment over time.
Why the warning matters
Nigerian football has a long history of delayed bonuses and unpaid wages. Players and coaches have publicly chased money owed to them in past tournaments.
A six-figure monthly salary raises the stakes. If revenue falls short, the federation could face the same pressures that have embarrassed it before.
Supporters of the deal argue that quality costs money. They say a settled, well-paid coach gives the team stability after years of frequent changes in the dugout.
A heavy workload too
Money is not the only concern. Chelle has also been handed oversight of the U-23 side ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
Former Eagles boss Finidi George has cautioned that loading the coach with two jobs could backfire. He suggested the dual role might stretch him too thin.
Balancing the senior team and the Olympic project will test the coach’s planning. Both sides have busy schedules that sometimes overlap.
What happens next
The NFF will be eager to prove the doubters wrong. Strong results in upcoming qualifiers would make the investment easier to defend.
For now, the debate is about value and sustainability. Lawal’s caution reflects a wider question about how Nigerian football funds its biggest commitments.
A bigger budget question
The debate goes beyond one coach. It touches how the federation plans its spending across a long, busy calendar of fixtures.
Sponsorship, government support and prize money all feed the budget. When any of these dips, wage commitments become harder to meet on time.
Lawal’s caution is therefore a reminder, not a verdict. He wants the federation to plan ahead so that promises made today can be kept tomorrow.
Fans, for their part, mostly care about results. A winning team tends to silence questions about cost, at least while the trophies keep coming.
Context matters too. The coach inherited a side rebuilding after a difficult spell, and steadying it has carried a cost.
Continuity has its own value. Frequent changes in the dugout have hurt Nigerian teams before, so a longer deal offers a chance to build.
The figures quoted come from reports and officials rather than a published contract. They should be read as the best current picture, not the final word.
The coach, meanwhile, must focus on the pitch. Performances, more than contracts, will ultimately decide how this chapter is judged.
Source: Nigeria Football Federation
