As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has expressed his disappointment and frustration with Nigeria’s preparations for the tournament. Speaking on his ObiOne podcast, Mikel launched a scathing attack on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over ongoing administrative issues that have plagued the team’s build-up to the competition.
Mikel’s criticism comes after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which led to him calling for the resignation of the NFF board. He has reiterated his demands, citing the ongoing issues with the team’s preparation as evidence of the board’s incompetence. “I’m not impressed at all with the preparation,” Mikel said. “After everything that happened with the World Cup qualifiers, you would expect things to be better.”
One of the key issues that has raised Mikel’s ire is the fact that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is owed three months’ salary and bonuses by the NFF. Mikel has described this as “shameless” and questioned how a national coach can be expected to perform at his best when he is not being paid. “How do you owe a coach money at this stage? This is not how serious football nations operate,” he said.
The issue of Chelle’s unpaid salary has been addressed by the National Sports Commission (NSC) chairman, Shehu Dikko, who revealed that the NSC has been paying the coach’s salary on behalf of the NFF despite not being party to his contract. Dikko described this as part of the NSC’s support to the NFF, but Mikel remains unconvinced.
Mikel’s concerns are not just about the team’s preparation, but also about the impact that these administrative issues can have on the players, the coach, and the fans. “When issues like this are in the public space, it affects everyone,” he said. “You can’t go into the AFCON with unresolved problems. Everything must be sorted now. Nigeria deserves better. Our football deserves better.”
As Nigeria prepares to face Tanzania in their opening match on December 23, Mikel’s comments will undoubtedly add to the pressure on the team and the NFF. The Super Eagles have a tough group stage ahead of them, with matches against Tunisia and Uganda also on the horizon. After losing 2-1 to Egypt in their only pre-AFCON friendly, the team will need to regroup and focus if they are to make a successful tournament.
For Mikel, the solution is clear: the NFF board must resign and allow for a new leadership to take over. “This was supposed to be the time to save face and show that lessons were learned,” he said. “Instead, it’s the same story again. Nigeria deserves better.” Only time will tell if Mikel’s words will fall on deaf ears or if they will spark the change that he and many Nigerian football fans are calling for.
