Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has confirmed that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will continue in charge of Nigeria’s senior men’s national team while also overseeing the U-23 side, following an agreement on a revised contract.
Dikko made the disclosure on Tuesday after a meeting in Abuja between officials of the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation, where key issues surrounding the future of Nigeria’s national teams were reviewed.
The Franco-Malian tactician’s current two-year deal is set to run out at the end of 2026, but discussions over improved terms had been ongoing for several months.
Following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Chelle was reported to have tabled a request for a $130,000 monthly salary package, a figure that also includes pay for his technical crew alongside other conditions.
Speaking after the talks, Dikko confirmed that both sides had reached an agreement on an enhanced package that also caters for the coach’s assistants.
“We have reached new terms with the coach about his new remuneration. We are also going to take care of his assistants, and there are other benchmarks that we have put on the table, and I’m sure the coach will be very excited about it,” Dikko said after the meeting.
Beyond his role with the Super Eagles, Chelle has now been assigned additional responsibility for the U-23 national team as Nigeria begins long-term preparations for the men’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
According to Dikko, the decision was designed to strengthen continuity between the U-23 setup and the senior team, allowing emerging talents to transition more smoothly into the Super Eagles in the coming years.
“With the NFF, we also agreed that the coach will take care of the U-23 national team because we have young players coming into the Super Eagles within that age bracket.
“So, Eric Chelle and his team, plus other people who will support them. The objective is not to give the coach more work but to start building for the future,” Dikko added.
The expanded mandate places additional expectations on Chelle, who is now tasked with steering both the Super Eagles and the Olympic Eagles projects.
Nigeria’s U-23 side has struggled in recent cycles, missing out on the men’s football tournament at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, while the Super Eagles also endured back-to-back failures to qualify for previous FIFA World Cup editions before securing a place at the ongoing 2026 tournament.
