John Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, has officially unveiled Finidi George as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
The unveiling took place at an event in Abuja, attended by leaders of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) at the Media Centre of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Monday morning.
During the event, John Enoh expressed pride in having a Nigerian coach like Finidi George leading the national team.
“Any country I find an indigenous coach sitting on the bench, I always feel very proud and I am glad that we have an opportunity that have a Nigerian coach, Finidi George, as football men national team coach,” he said.
However, the specifics of George’s contract remain undisclosed, sparking speculation about the treatment of indigenous coaches by the NFF.
According to ACLSports, Finidi George is set to earn a monthly salary of N15 million, making him the highest-paid indigenous coach in Nigeria.
While the exact duration of George’s contract was not specified, it is expected to run until May 2026, covering a two-year period.
During the unveiling, Finidi George expressed satisfaction with the terms of his contract, noting that increased compensation would follow as he adds value to the team.
“I am not quite worried about earning even as much or even more than [Jose] Peseiro because what I’m getting is good enough for me at the moment. The moment I add value to what I’m here to do, the money will definitely come,” said Finidi, as reported by Football Temple.
He further stated, “I think the honourable minister and the NFF would definitely call me and say ‘Coach, how much do you want?’ so for me it’s all about work, work, and adding value. So as long as the team is going to win, money is going to come.”
Finidi emerged victorious in the selection process, beating out other contenders such as Emmanuel Amuneke for the role, and was appointed permanently after the departure of the former Portuguese head coach Jose Peseiro.
His first official assignment as the head coach will be the 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa in June.
George will lead the Super Eagles as they begin camp on May 28 in preparation for their upcoming matches.
With Nigeria currently holding two points from their opening group games in the World Cup qualifying race, all eyes are on Finidi to lead the team to success on the international stage.
KanyiDaily recalls that Super Eagles recently moved up 14 places in the FIFA men’s ranking, from the 42nd position to the 28th position globally and securing the 3rd spot in Africa.