Sports

2012 AFCON: How Nigerians Pay For National Team

Published

14 years ago

January 27, 2012

As shock qualifiers Niger took on co-hosts Gabon in their first game in the Africa Cup of Nation finals, it has been a bitter-sweet feeling for the people of Niger. Football fan or not, they are helping to foot the bill for the Mena’s maiden tournament – every time they use their mobile phones.

Back in September Niamey’s General Seyni Kountche stadium erupted into joy as Koffi Dan Kowa and star striker Moussa Maazou scored the two goals that helped Niger to a shock 2-1 win over South Africa and ultimately sent them to their continent’s most prestigious tournament for the very first time.

Few of the 35,000 spectators watching that day probably realised that victory would also add 10 CFA francs to the cost of each minute they spend on their mobile phones.

It will fund some of the $5million (£3.8million) that taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations is expected to cost the Mena, the local Hausa name for the Dama gazelle, which features on Niger’s football strip.

The tax, which ran from 25 December until 25 January, is a significant burden given that the average cost of a minute’s call is 100 CFA francs.

Football is of course a global sport of riches, the international governing body FIFA gives all members $250,000 a year and in January 2011 even paid out a $300,000 bonus to each, but that does not go far when for every other game you have to travel huge distances across a vast continent.

So should some of the global game’s huge resources be made available to spare Nigerien mobile phone users an extra burden?

The Vice-President of Niger’s Football Federation, Colonel Ibrahim Yakubu, is adamant that his country “doesn’t want the charity of Caf, all we want is respect”.

To raise a reported $130million over eight years the regional Confederation of African Football (CAF) even sold the naming rights to its showpiece competition.

It is part of a deal, which ironically for Niger’s four million subscribers (25 per cent of the population), has been struck with the mobile phone company Orange.

The company stresses that the new tax and its involvement with the Cup of Nations are not related, adding that it also sponsors the Nigerien national federation.

Col Yakubu says the federation had not asked anyone for extra money and did not believe CAF or FIFA would give it anything anyway.

“If it’s a team for the people they should contribute,” he adds, promising that in return the players “will try to give their maximum” despite having to get by on the smallest budget of all the teams who have qualified for the finals. The new tax has of course divided public opinion.

The Mena are this tournament’s surprise qualifiers – and, coming from one of the poorer countries, have to survive on the smallest team budget

International aid agencies, such as UNICEF, are warning of an impending food crisis in Niger, which already languishes at second to bottom of the UN development ranking of countries.

So it is little surprise that, the government, according to Col Yakubu has “lots of things” to spend money on and simply cannot afford to pay the full cost itself.

So what exactly will the new tax fund?

The Nigerien Football Federation said that the money raised will be added to private donations and a small contribution from the government to meet the accommodation and food bill in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

It will also pay for transport costs, including the two planes that have taken the Mena on this journey of a lifetime.

Additionally there will be some modest financial rewards for the 23 players, seven of whom play in the amateur domestic league. Of those that play abroad in countries as diverse as Belgium, Thailand and South Africa none earn huge sums of money.

The pride they have given their countrymen after qualifying against the odds is worthy of recognition, according to Col Yakubu.

In a country where World Bank figures show the average income is about $1 a day, questions are being asked as to whether this is the best way to pay for their team’s participation.

Niger has benefited from millions of dollars’ worth of debt relief and so good governance, the tax system included, is seen as essential by much of the international community.

Children play football in the streets of Harovanda, a lower class neighborhood of Niamey, on September 11, 2012. Qualification could inspire of generation of footballers from Niger

One mobile phone industry source admitted that the new tax was “not a favourable approach” and could be “detrimental” to the industry, especially as it raises fears of customers being taxed for other short term projects.

Mahaman Tidjani Alou, a professor of political science at Niamey’s state-funded Abdou Moumouni University, argues that there is nothing to worry about.

“For me, it’ll all depend on how this money is going to be used,” he says.

“If it’s used for other purposes, this will be a dangerous way of going about it,” he says, adding that civic society groups are already calling for an audit once the tournament is over.

But it is not just about ensuring that every cent is spent properly in such a poor country as landlocked Niger.

There is also the danger that such a tax could dent economic growth in the country where the mobile phone is expected to play a significant role in raising living standards.

A recent International Monetary Fund working paper suggests that for every 10 per cent of people with a mobile phone there is likely to be a 0.7 per cent growth in the economy. The global trade body for mobile phone operators, the GSM Association, puts this figure even higher – at 1.2 per cent.

Of course the better Niger does in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea the less controversial their finances will be. The Mena lost their opening match 0-2 to Gabon.

Col Yakubu would not be surprised if once again they exceed expectations. He says that “Niger can win because its football and any team can win, that’s the beauty of football”.

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”