Mr Eazi’s Locker Room Bonus Pays Division Two Players

In Short

• Mr Eazi has expanded into sports technology with Locker Room Bonus, a direct payout initiative for lower league footballers in Nigeria.
• He said the system uses Know Your Customer checks and real time data capture, and sends money straight to players’ accounts.
• He also said emPawa Africa’s business operations are transitioning into a unified entity called Chop Life, while the emPawa mentorship programme continues.

What Happened: How Locker Room Bonus Pays Players Directly

He described it as a direct payout model that routes funds past state football associations and club executives, paying players directly. He said the system relies on “rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols” and “real time data capture.” KYC is an identity check used by financial services to confirm who is receiving money.

“Go ask any player in the Division Two league: immediately they win a game and get to their locker room, they get their alerts straight,” he said. “It doesn’t pass through the FA; it doesn’t pass through the club, it goes straight to them.”

Ajibade said delayed salaries and unfulfilled financial promises are a longstanding issue in domestic Nigerian club football, especially in lower tier divisions.

Why It Matters: Data As A Business Goal

Ajibade said the project is not framed as corporate social responsibility. He called it “selfish,” arguing that verified data is needed before serious investors can put money into African sports.

He compared this to music, where streams, registrations, and show data create clearer tracking. He said Locker Room Bonus is “building the data infrastructure for sports,” and that its website shows how much money has been disbursed, which players received it, and player data.

Separately, Ajibade said emPawa Africa is transitioning its overarching business operations into Chop Life. He said the emPawa programme that mentors artists will continue, while other commercial activities move under the Chop Life banner.