A stark double standard in Nigerian football has been exposed, as two prominent clubs quickly settled debts with international players under pressure from FIFA while ignoring similar obligations to their local squad members.
Heartland FC and Akwa United were facing global transfer bans from world football’s governing body, FIFA, for failing to pay their foreign players.
Acting swiftly to avoid severe sanctions, both clubs cleared their outstanding debts within FIFA’s 45-day compliance window. Heartland settled with Ivorian player Ngoran Roland Adjoumani Koffi, while Akwa United paid Ghanaian winger Paul Acquah, leading FIFA to lift their bans.
However, this urgency disappeared for domestic cases. Despite clear deadlines from the Nigeria National League (NNL), both clubs have failed to pay outstanding wages owed to their local players and coaches. Some of these debts are reported to be over a year old.
This disparity highlights a troubling hierarchy in enforcement. Clubs fear FIFA’s swift and uncompromising punishments but often disregard directives from local bodies like the NFF and NNL, which are perceived as lacking the same disciplinary rigor.
The situation leaves local players in a precarious position, with one affected athlete noting he moved to a club in the Republic of Benin where his wages are guaranteed. Until Nigerian football authorities enforce their rules as firmly as FIFA does, the welfare of domestic players will remain at risk.
