Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has calmed rising concerns over Nigeria’s World Cup hopes, insisting the team will still secure qualification despite the tension in camp ahead of their crucial playoff clash against Gabon.
The national team camp was thrown into disarray on Tuesday after players staged a strike, demanding the settlement of outstanding bonuses before stepping onto the pitch against Gabon.
As a result, the team boycotted Tuesday’s training session while negotiating with the Nigeria Football Federation over what they described as “unfair treatment” following unpaid bonuses reportedly spanning up to two years.
Nigeria camp in turmoil as players protest over unpaid bonuses
Onazi, who featured for Nigeria at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, expressed confidence that the unrest will not derail Nigeria’s chances of advancing to the intercontinental playoffs.
“No one is happy how things are at the moment, but it will not stop the players from qualifying, in my opinion. I do not want to go into the issue because I believe the team and the NFF are currently talking,” he exclusively told Footy-Africa.
“However, with the zeal I saw in the last game and my discussion with some of the team members, they still have that same passion. For a lot, going to the World Cup is still a priority despite the issues at hand. I believe it will be resolved, and the players will be happy and get back to training for the match against Gabon,” he stated.
Speaking on the fixture, Onazi added:
“For the game proper, the players are fired up and ready, which gives me a lot of confidence that they will not only beat Gabon, they will go ahead to qualify for the final qualifying competition. I believe they will do.”
Nigeria vs Gabon Prediction and Betting Tips: Super Eagles must win World Cup qualifier
Previously, captain William Troost-Ekong hinted at ongoing negotiations in a post on social media, assuring fans the squad remains focused on the objective despite the off-field turmoil.
Once resolution is found we will be the first to confirm.
Any other statement/claim or eSPECIALly demands other than the rightful request written about below is FALSE.
All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead. https://t.co/093Naixfl3
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) November 11, 2025
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau also held an emergency meeting with the team in Morocco after the training boycott. The players are demanding payment of allowances from the 2025 AFCON and 2026 World Cup qualifiers, stating they have only received partial appearance fees over the past two years.
