The National Sports Commission (NSC) has confirmed that a new agreement has been reached with Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, bringing an end to months of uncertainty over his future.
NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, during a meeting in Abuja attended by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau and other top officials.
Chelle’s initial two-year deal was set to run until the end of 2026, but discussions over an extension had been ongoing for some time.
Under the revised terms, the Franco-Malian coach is expected to receive an improved salary package. A key adjustment also sees the NFF assume responsibility for paying his backroom staff, a role previously understood to have been funded personally by Chelle.
“I can confirm to you that we have reached a new term with the coach. We are going to increase his money and also take care of his assistants who are helping him. 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.
Beyond his role with the senior national team, Chelle has also been assigned additional duties with Nigeria’s U-23 side as part of a broader development plan.
“We have also discussed how we can build for the future. In that aspect, we also agree with the coach and the NFF that the coach should take care of the U-23 national team,” Dikko added.
Details of the contract duration and financial terms were not disclosed.
Chelle, appointed in 2025, led the Super Eagles to a bronze medal finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco the same year. His expanded mandate now includes guiding the U-23 team toward qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, a tournament Nigeria last featured in at Rio 2016.
