The Nigeria Football Federation has clarified that it has yet to get the $1.5million promised by world football-governing body, FIFA to all its Member Associations, to help deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic which has ravaged the world this year.
The NFF made the clarification in response to media reports suggesting the federation was withholding the funds after FIFA effected payment months ago.
The federation said reports that FIFA distributed the palliatives in May are an “outright falsehood” as the world-football governing body only approved the funds in June.
While stressing that the Covid-19 support funds were different from the other payments approved by FIFA, the NFF, however, confirmed that it has received the $500,000 promised by the world body for developing the women’s game.
“FIFA COVID19 palliative is totally different from Operational Cost (annual grant) money and is also not the same thing as FIFA Forward money,” a statement attributed to NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi noted on Monday.
“FIFA promised to send an initial tranche of $1million ($500,000 for the men’s game and $500,000 for the women’s game) and another payment of $500,0000 in January 2021. Of the first tranche, we have only received the $500,000 for the women’s game, while waiting for the other $500,000.
“I want to add that we are also yet to receive the $500,000 palliative promised by the continental governing body, CAF. We are waiting for these monies so that we can distribute as we have set out in the template approved by the NFF Executive Committee. We will also inform the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development once the monies come,” Sanusi added.
