The agreement between Coach Bruno Labbadia and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to take the helm as Head Coach of the country’s senior men’s team, the Super Eagles, has been terminated due to strict requirements imposed by German tax officials.
Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the NFF President, revealed this in a statement late on Friday.
We have spent the last three days discussing taxes, and I made it quite evident to him that the NFF would not consent to deduct the accompanying tax percentage from his income that the German tax authorities would require. We are unable to pay him an additional sum of money, ranging from 32 to 40 percent of his compensation, once the agreed-upon monthly wage has been paid.
Before we announced that Mr. Labbadia will take over as head coach of the Super Eagles, the NFF and him came to a principled agreement. He had personally approved all agreements prior to the tax issue arising, thus the tax facts were never discussed with me. Although we tried to be accommodating during the conversation, he insisted that the NFF also have to pay the entire tax amount. We just aren’t able to accomplish that,” stated on Friday night.
As a result, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, the Technical Director of the NFF, will now be in command of the Super Eagles for its next 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches, which are scheduled for September 7 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, against the Benin Republic, and September 10 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Eguavoen will be leading the three-time African champions for the fourth time; he held the position from 2005–2007, 2010, and 2022.
