President Bola Tinubu has charged the Super Eagles to bounce back from their World Cup disappointment by winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Gatekeepers News reports that Tinubu’s message was conveyed on Monday through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the President commended the team for giving their best in the bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite Sunday’s painful playoff defeat.
Onanuga said the President urged the team to quickly put behind them the loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo and focus fully on preparations for the AFCON, scheduled for December 2025 to January 2026 in Morocco.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the World Cup were dashed on Sunday after the Super Eagles fell to DR Congo in a tense playoff decided by penalties. The match ended 1-1 after extra time before Congo DR won 4-3 in the shootout to advance to the Inter-Confederation play-off.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu acknowledged the disappointment but praised the team’s commitment, particularly after winning the first leg of the playoff.
“Notwithstanding the unfortunate loss, we must commend the players for their efforts and continue to support them,” Tinubu said.
He added that all stakeholders must return to the drawing board to correct lingering weaknesses.
“We must now plug all the loopholes. Our football administrators, players, and indeed all stakeholders must go back to the drawing board.
Now is the time to focus all efforts on the Cup of Nations. Our Super Eagles must recover the lost glory.”
Nigeria, three-time AFCON champions, have been drawn in Group C alongside the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, the Cranes of Uganda and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
The Super Eagles last won the continental title in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi, who had earlier lifted the trophy as captain in 1994. The country’s first AFCON triumph came in 1980 when the then Green Eagles defeated Algeria 3-0 in Lagos.
Nigeria also reached the final of the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, taking the lead through a powerful header from captain William Troost-Ekong before eventually losing 2-1 to the hosts.
