If Nigeria’s announcement of an unwieldy 54-man provisional squad just two weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations was meant to baffle, it succeeded. The final list, though trimmed, has done little to ease concerns.
Attempting to decipher Eric Chelle’s intentions from the provisional squad was difficult enough; the final selection offers only limited clarity. While it hints at the coach’s thinking, significant questions remain ahead of the tournament, and expectations are notably subdued.
A rebuild finally underway
After reaching the final of the last AFCON, hopes were high that Nigeria would build momentum. Those hopes were punctured by failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it clear that a squad refresh was unavoidable.
Chelle was appointed in the midst of the World Cup qualification crisis, with little time to experiment. The emergence of now-injured Benjamin Fredricks, the only genuinely new face to make an immediate impact, happened more by circumstance than strategy.
His brief but impressive run, however, highlighted the need for fresh legs, particularly with several established players struggling for form. AFCON now presents Chelle with a chance to begin that transition properly, and he has taken steps in that direction.
Five new players have been called up, four of them aged 23 or under: Ryan Alebiosu (23), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (21), Salim Fago (22) and Tochukwu Nnadi (22).
Alebiosu has impressed since joining Blackburn Rovers and offers cover in the absence of Ola Aina and Fredricks. Akinsanmiro, who was playing academy football in Nigeria just two years ago before moving to Inter Milan and later Pisa, brings energy and technical quality to midfield, alongside former youth international Nnadi. Fago, though playing in a relatively obscure Croatian side, is viewed as a promising attacking prospect.
The outlier is Usman Mohammed. At 31, he is older than every other member of the squad and hardly represents the future. Aside from appearances at youth level and the 2016 Olympics, he has been largely absent from the national team picture. His inclusion remains difficult to justify and may require further explanation from the coach.
The Okoye question
One of the biggest talking points from the squad announcement was the omission of Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who recently returned after serving a betting-related suspension.
With Stanley Nwabali committing several high-profile errors during World Cup qualifiers, Okoye was seen as a potential contender to reclaim the number one shirt. A subsequent injury to Nwabali appeared to strengthen that possibility.
However, an NFF official told ESPN that Okoye’s exclusion was due to conditions attached to his release by Udinese, which the federation was unwilling to accept. The club reportedly indicated they would only release him in the event of an injury, meaning a potential recall remains possible should Nwabali be ruled out.
Productivity rewarded or not
Tolu Arokodare impressed at the Unity Cup and initially looked like a reliable partner for Victor Osimhen. A goal during qualifying appeared to cement his place, but a run of underwhelming performances, including his brief appearance in the World Cup play-offs against DR Congo, harmed his standing.
That decline coincided with the rise of Akor Adams, who has been sharper and more efficient, while Arokodare has also struggled to settle in the Premier League with Wolves.
By contrast, Paul Onuachu has earned his recall after rediscovering his scoring form in Turkey, following a difficult spell in England. Chelle’s message appears simple: form earns selection.
A rare lack of belief
It is unusual for Nigeria to head into AFCON with expectations so low. This tournament feels different.
Consecutive World Cup qualification failures have drained confidence from both players and supporters, and apathy has replaced optimism. Even success at AFCON may not be enough to fully restore belief.
William Troost-Ekong’s retirement alone would not have been destabilising, but combined with the absence of Ola Aina, the injury concerns surrounding Fredricks and Nwabali, and lingering distrust of Francis Uzoho despite his revival in Cyprus, uncertainty abounds.
The prevailing sentiment among fans is that reaching the quarter-finals in Morocco would already be an achievement.
Troost-Ekong’s quiet exit
Troost-Ekong announced his international retirement days after being named in the provisional squad, raising questions about communication within the setup.
Player sources told ESPN that he had informed teammates and officials of his intention to retire after the qualifiers. According to an NFF official, Chelle included him in the provisional list to allow him announce his decision on his own terms.
“If he had been left out, people would have said he was forced to retire,” the official said. It was a subtle but respectful move that may earn Chelle goodwill within the squad.
Domestic players left disappointed
Chelle initially showed interest in home-based players, visiting the CHAN team and attending league matches. However, the team’s poor showing at the tournament, heavy defeats to Sudan and Senegal, appears to have influenced his final decisions.
While some domestic players made the provisional list, none were retained for the final squad. It continues a long-standing trend, with Stephen Keshi the last coach to successfully integrate a core of home-based players, culminating in AFCON glory in 2013.
Based on current evidence, a repeat of that model appears some way off.
