Nigeria football is going through its ‘worst time’ – AFCON winner Segun Odegbami

Nigeria legend Segun Odegbami says the country is experiencing the “worst time” in its football history as the Super Eagles prepare to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Odegbami, who helped Nigeria win their first Afcon title on home soil in 1980, believes the recent struggles across the national teams and domestic game point to a major decline for one of Africa’s traditional football powers.

Nigeria have endured a difficult 12 months, with both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons failing to qualify for their respective Fifa World Cups.

The problems have extended beyond the senior teams, with Nigeria also experiencing disappointing results at youth level and in African club competitions.

The country did, however, reach the quarter-finals of the 2026 Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

“It has never been this bad in our entire history that we didn’t qualify for the World Cup,” the 74-year-old Odegbami told BBC Sport Africa.

“Our girls, the Super Falcons, who were African champions, failed to win a competition that was just there for their taking. All our junior teams are not doing well.

“Our local league is not bringing in money. Something is definitely wrong.”

Odegbami described the situation as a “tectonic shift” and said significant changes were required to put Nigerian football on a sustainable path.

The crisis has already led to changes at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with president Ibrahim Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and several executive committee members resigning last month following mounting criticism.

Odegbami believes Nigerian football has not been operating with its “first XI administrators” and has called for a comprehensive restructuring of the game.

“The outcry by Nigerians was total. Everybody wanted them out, to the extent that the President of the country himself, Bola Tinubu, made the pronouncement that he wanted reforms,” he said.

“Everything came together like a jigsaw puzzle and is working now for us to produce a blueprint that will cover every aspect of our football development.”

The former international says the proposed reforms should address the wider football system rather than focus solely on the performance of the national teams.

Nigeria now face the task of rebuilding while also attempting to secure qualification for the 2027 Afcon, with the Super Eagles hoping to restore their status among Africa’s leading football nations.