The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have appealed to the government to increase its allocation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to help avert financial problems that could arise as a result of a budget deficit.

Musa Amadu, the NFF’s General Secretary made the appeal on Monday when he led a delegation of the Federation to defend their budget to the House of Representatives Committee on Sports.

The government are reported to have approved a sum of just over N1.2-billion for release for the Super Eagles’ participation in this summer’s World Cup, which is a far cry from the N2-billion budgeted by the NFF, leaving the Federation with a budget deficit of N800-million.

Amadu therefore appealed to the House Committee to assist the Federation by approving the amount needed to ensure Nigeria have a successful outing at the World Cup.

“For the World Cup, the budget we have is N2,084,053,765 and from what we are envisaging, government may likely give us N1,254,160,329. So there will be a shortfall in this World Cup budget to the tune of N829,839,436 and the way we look at it, this amount the government is bringing [N1.2-billion] will only take the Super Eagles to the round of 16 match in terms of the bonuses to be paid, air tickets, estacodes, preparation and the rest of it,” Amadu explained.

“Then it means of course that we will have a budget deficit for the World Cup, that is why we are placing this budget before the House Committee to have a look at it because the strategy is for us to go beyond any other African country in Brazil, which is the quarter-final stage. If we get the budget that we have put together, Nigeria will be able to do not only ourselves proud but also the African continent.”