Barely one month after securing a multi-million dollar partnership for payment of coaches' wages, the Nigeria Football Federation is on the verge of closing another deal, this time to pay players' match bonuses.
A top source within the NFF told KweséESPN that negotiations are currently ongoing and the deal is close to completion.
When signed, this partnership would remove another troublesome expense from the NFF's budget. The issue of players' bonuses has been a recurring problem for the NFF, who allegedly owe the players back bonuses for last year's World Cup qualifier against Zambia.
Each player is entitled to the equivalent of $5000 per win and half of that for a draw. Friendly matches, win or lose, attract an appearance fee of $2500.
The NFF recently announced a N2.5 billion (US $8 million), 5-year contract with the Aiteo Group to underwrite the wages of all the national team coaches in its employ.
And in May, a partnership was signed with the Morocco Football Federation, and negotiations opened with a Moroccan company with business interests in Nigeria, for partnerships with both the NFF and domestic league the NPFL.
The NFF source added that this aggressive sponsorship drive is part of the federation's new marketing strategy as it seeks to cut financial ties from the government, especially with the gradual decrease in funding.