Nigeria FA refuses disclosure of N12bn football intervention fund records

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declined a request for the disclosure of financial records relating to the utilisation of a N12bn federal government intervention fund released for players’ wages and bonuses.

In a letter dated 18 August 2026 and signed on behalf of the NFF General Secretary, the federation said the requested documents are currently the subject of investigations by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The response was addressed to law firm Cromwell & Okeke, which had submitted an application under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act seeking access to the financial records and utilisation logs connected to the N12bn fund.

The NFF said it had received the firm’s correspondence, dated 7 August, on 11 August.

“It is my instruction to inform you that the subject matter of the request under the Freedom of Information Act are subject of investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),” the letter stated.

The federation added that all documents relating to the request had consequently been referred to the two anti-corruption agencies.

“Therefore, all documents relating to the request are before Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),” the NFF said.

The N12bn intervention fund was released by the Nigerian government to address outstanding players’ wages and bonuses, making the management and utilisation of the money a matter of significant interest.

The latest development means the requested financial records will not be released by the NFF while the investigations by the EFCC and ICPC are ongoing.

The letter was signed by Onojа Joshua, Esq., for the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation.