The air in Cairo feels heavy with expectation as Nigeria’s Super Eagles begin their march toward the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
About ten players have already reported to camp at the Renaissance Hotels, where coaches and backroom staff gathered on Sunday to set the tone for weeks of preparation.
Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was the first to arrive, stepping into camp just after 2 a.m. His return is a personal redemption after more than a year away from the national team.
Soon after, Stanley Nwabali, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro joined him, raising the tally to four. By evening, six more players — Amas Obasogie, Semi Ajayi, Ademola Lookman, Igho Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Tochukwu Nnadi — had checked in, bringing the total to ten.
More arrivals are expected in the coming hours as Nigeria intensifies its preparations.
BREAKING: Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Akinsanmiro Ebenezer have just arrived the Super Eagles camp at the Renaissance Hotels, Cairo, Egypt.
The team’s first training session is scheduled for later today. A friendly against Egypt’s Pharaohs at the Cairo International Stadium will follow on Tuesday, offering fans a glimpse of what to expect when the tournament begins.
Nigeria enters AFCON chasing a fourth continental crown, having lifted the trophy in 1980, 1994, and 2013. The memory of their 2–1 defeat to Ivory Coast in the last final still lingers, sharpening their hunger for redemption.
Injury Clouds Over Nwabali
Yet, amid the optimism, a shadow looms. Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali may not feature in Morocco.
According to Supersport.com, quoting his Chippa United coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi, the player is battling ankle and hand injuries that may require surgery.
Vilakazi was blunt: “I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury, I don’t think he will make it. But when I was talking to him, he was confident that he would recover very soon. Obviously, you will understand because he is a player, he wants to be there at the Cup of Nations finals. But the reality is that for now, he is still injured. I also hope for the best that he might find himself there.”
The coach revealed that Nwabali aggravated his hand injury while in Morocco, having played with the problem for some time.
His ankle injury compounds the situation, making surgery likely. If he misses AFCON, Nigeria will lean on Uzoho and Obasogie to guard the posts.
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