AFCON 2025: Billionaire Abdul Samad confirms $500,000 pledge to Tremendous Eagles
Abdul Samad Rabiu, the chairman of Nigeria’s BUA Group, has stated he would proceed with a beforehand introduced $500,000 reward.
That is regardless of Nigeria not making it to the Africa Cup of Nations Last 2025.
Nigeria’s Tremendous Eagles had been eradicated from the finals on Wednesday night time after shedding 4–2 on penalties to host nation Morocco in a intently contested semifinal on the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The match ended degree after regulation time.
In an announcement posted on his official social media account, Rabiu described the staff’s effort as brave and deserving of nationwide recognition.
“You fought along with your hearts, gave your all, and confirmed true braveness on the pitch,” Rabiu wrote. “Each Nigerian is pleased with you.”
Rabiu stated the {financial} pledge, first introduced earlier within the competitors, can be honored in full as an acknowledgement of the staff’s dedication and the sense of unity it generated amongst Nigerians at residence and overseas.
He harassed that the spirit, ardour and unity displayed by the staff had been what really mattered.
He famous that the gamers gave every part on the sphere, describing the trouble as worthy of celebration, and introduced that he would nonetheless fulfil his pledge of $500,000 as a token of appreciation for his or her outstanding journey.
“Typically, even our greatest efforts don’t deliver the end result we hope for, however the spirit, ardour, and unity you displayed are what really matter.
“You left every part on the sphere, and that’s worthy of celebration. As a token of appreciation in your outstanding journey and energy, I’m nonetheless going forward to meet the pledge of $500,000 USD. That is in recognition of your laborious work, dedication, and the enjoyment you will have dropped at our nation.”
Based on him, the gesture was in recognition of their laborious work, dedication and the enjoyment they dropped at the nation.
He additionally stated Nigeria went into the semi-final as one of many event’s most constant groups, constructed on a disciplined defence and fast counter-attacks, however regardless of holding their very own in opposition to Morocco in open play, the Tremendous Eagles had been finally undone within the penalty shootout because the hosts transformed 4 of their kicks to achieve the ultimate.
“Nigeria entered the semifinal as one of many event’s most constant groups, counting on a disciplined protection and fast counterattacks. In opposition to Morocco, the Tremendous Eagles held their very own in open play however had been in the end undone in the course of the shootout, because the hosts transformed 4 of their penalties to safe a spot within the ultimate.”
The loss marked one other close to miss for Nigeria on the continental degree, extending the staff’s await an AFCON title since its final triumph in 2013.
Early within the event, Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of the BUA Group, introduced a $1.5 million incentive bundle to spur the staff towards a fourth continental title. The pledge was performance-based: $500,000 for profitable the semifinal and reaching the ultimate, and a further $1 million if Nigeria went on to carry the trophy.
The announcement drew public consideration and highlighted the rising position of private-sector help in Nigerian soccer, the place funding gaps have incessantly sophisticated event preparations.
Rabiu’s pledge got here in opposition to the backdrop of reported unrest inside the Tremendous Eagles camp. Forward of the quarterfinals, gamers had been stated to have threatened to boycott coaching and journey preparations over unpaid bonuses and allowances, a well-known concern within the administration of the nationwide staff.
The standoff raised considerations a couple of attainable disruption to Nigeria’s AFCON marketing campaign at a crucial second. Nonetheless, the scenario was resolved following intervention by the federal authorities.
Offering clarification, Shehu Dikko, chairman of the Nationwide Sports Fee, stated President Bola Tinubu had permitted the Tremendous Eagles’ full AFCON 2025 price range on November 14, 2025, aligning the NSC, the Nigeria Soccer Federation, and the gamers. He described the delay as administrative quite than political.