Osimhen named in Nigeria squad despite injury as Ilenikhena earns first call-up

Victor Osimhen has been included in Nigeria’s squad for the opening two matches of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, despite Galatasaray indicating the striker could be sidelined for three weeks.

Nigeria face Madagascar on 25 September and Guinea-Bissau on 29 September, with manager Eric Chelle naming two separate groups of 24 players on Thursday.

Osimhen’s selection does not guarantee that he will be fit to play. His availability and ability to travel were already uncertain before the squad was announced, but Chelle has chosen to keep the option open rather than approach the two competitive fixtures without his leading striker.

George Ilenikhena is the other notable inclusion. The 20-year-old forward, who previously played for Monaco and now represents Al-Ittihad, has been called up for the first time as Nigeria begin their qualifying campaign.

Born in Lagos, Ilenikhena represented France at youth level before recently confirming his decision to play for Nigeria. His current form had made him one of the strongest candidates for a first senior call-up with the Super Eagles.

His selection gives him an opportunity to establish himself within the squad, although it does not make him Osimhen’s immediate successor. Akor Adams and Tolu Arokodare are also included among Chelle’s attacking options.

Stanley Nwabali returns in goal, alongside Maduka Okoye and Arthur Okonkwo. The squad also features less familiar names such as Isaac James and Moses Usor, while established players including Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman have been retained.

Femi Azeez has been left out shortly after completing his move to Brighton. Chelle consulted the club’s medical staff before deciding that the player should be given time to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in mid-August.

Ilenikhena’s inclusion reflects Chelle’s wider approach of introducing players who were either born or developed abroad. The manager has gradually expanded competition for places rather than waiting for a position to become a problem before strengthening it.

The first 24-man group will be used for the matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. A second 24-man squad will play Russia in a friendly on 6 October.

Kelechi Iheanacho is included only in that second group. The split allows Chelle to protect his main group for the competitive fixtures while assessing additional players against Russia a few days later.

The camp represents a fresh start for Nigeria after they failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Osimhen’s fitness will remain the main uncertainty in the days ahead, but Chelle is also using the qualifiers to introduce new options, with Ilenikhena at the forefront.