NFF denies owing Christian Chukwu

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has firmly denied allegations circulating on social media that it owed former Nigeria national team captain and coach Christian Chukwu the sum of $128,000 before his death.

Chukwu, fondly referred to as “Chairman,” passed away on Saturday, sparking a wave of tributes and controversy.

In a statement released on Monday, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi described the claims as unfounded and lacking documentary backing.

“There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu,” Mr Sanusi said.

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“During the first term of the Board headed by Mr Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.

“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately. I am aware that the ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005 before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”

Sanusi further challenged anyone with proof of such debt to come forward.

“As a credible organisation that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”

“Till tomorrow they are still owing me” — Chukwu’s contradictory testimony

The NFF’s rebuttal, however, stands in stark contrast to statements made by Christian Chukwu himself just eleven months ago in an exclusive interview with The Athletic NG.

When asked if the culture of owing coaches had been a persistent problem in Nigerian football, Chukwu, in a tone both frustrated and matter-of-fact, replied emphatically:

“They don’t owe foreign coaches… Then you get a Nigerian coach who takes a cheap salary and you are owing him, is it proper, are you encouraging him to do his job.”

Pressed on whether he was personally owed, the former Green Eagles captain said:

“Up till today.”

Asked to substantiate that claim, he said:

“Go to the NFF and bring my file; till tomorrow, they are still owing me.”

When asked what efforts he had made to recover his wages, Chukwu offered a helpless response:

“What can I do… There is nothing I can do; the file is there, and they (NFF) have the file…. Not only me, other indigenous coaches are also being owed; some are late now because we are Nigerians.”

He further highlighted the disparity in treatment between local and foreign coaches, recounting his coaching experiences abroad:

“When I went to Kenya, I was not owed, when I went to Lebanon, I was not owed, you see the difference. We did our best, and those people appreciated us.”

While the NFF insists all debts were verified and cleared years ago, Chukwu’s own words paint a different picture, one of bureaucratic neglect and systemic disregard for local football professionals.

Chukwu, who captained Nigeria to its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 1980 and later coached the national team, was a revered figure in Nigerian football circles.

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He was in charge of the Super Eagles between 2003 and 2005.

During his tenure, Nigeria reached the semi-finals of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, but his time in charge ended sourly during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.

Nigeria’s failure to beat Angola in both legs of the qualifiers proved decisive, and Chukwu was suspended before the end of the campaign.

Nigeria eventually failed to qualify for the 2006 tournament.

Though Chukwu was affirmative, he had no regrets serving Nigeria as a player and coach; his death has reignited broader conversations about how Nigeria treats its sports legends, particularly those who served with distinction at home rather than abroad.

As tributes continue to pour in, many are now calling for a transparent audit of all financial dealings involving former coaches of the national teams—especially those like Chukwu, who claimed until his death that the system failed him.