The debate around pay parity in Nigerian football has found a fresh voice, with a former NFF board member making the case that local coaches should earn exactly what the federation pays foreign appointments, and that any gap between the two is simply discrimination, Footynaija.com reports.
Eric Chelle’s new contract sees the Franco-Malian’s monthly salary doubled from $50,000 to $100,000, with the NFF now covering the wages of his assistant coaches separately, an arrangement that corrects the previous setup where Chelle paid his backroom staff from his own earnings.
He will remain in charge until 2030 and will also take on responsibility for the Nigeria under-23 side, adding the Olympic team to his portfolio as the federation targets a return to the Games in Los Angeles 2028.
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The improved deal has drawn praise in some quarters but also questions in others. Former NFF board member Barrister Christopher Greene, a former Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, went straight to the structural issue. Speaking in quotes reported by Pulse Sports, he argued the standard set for Chelle must apply to any Nigerian coach who takes the job next.
“I have always advocated for equality. It does not matter where you are coming from, whether you reside in the country or whether you are a national or an expatriate. It is the same job,” he stated.
He made the demand explicit.
“If you are paying Chelle $80,000 or $100,000 per month, the day you are no longer comfortable with him, or the day you fire him, I also want you to pay the same thing to any local coach you want to take over,” Greene added.
Greene was not alone in raising questions. Former Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal welcomed the deal in principle but expressed doubt about sustainability, saying he feared the NFF could not consistently meet the new monthly commitment long-term.
Chelle’s first test under the new arrangement comes up in September, when the Super Eagles begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
