The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that former Super Eagles player and current Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, will assume the role of head coach for the team’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

This decision follows the unexpected withdrawal of German coach Bruno Labbadia, who had recently been appointed as Finidi George’s successor. Labbadia reportedly stepped down due to complications surrounding German tax regulations.

In an official statement released on Friday via X, the NFF highlighted that unresolved tax obligations were the primary challenge in finalizing the contract with Labbadia.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau explained, “For the last three days, we’ve been trying to address the tax issue. I made it clear that the NFF cannot cover the additional 32% to 40% of his salary required by German tax authorities. After agreeing to a monthly wage, it’s simply not feasible for us to shoulder that extra financial burden.”

Gusau further noted that while an agreement had been reached in principle, the issue of taxes had not been initially discussed. “Labbadia agreed to all terms prior to the emergence of this tax issue. Although we sought to be flexible, he insisted the NFF should bear the full tax cost, which we are unable to accommodate,” he added.

In the meantime, the NFF has named a 23-player squad for the forthcoming qualifiers. Key players such as Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi, and stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong are returning to the squad following injury recoveries.