Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been called up to replace injured Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed Awoniyi’s inclusion on Sunday after Osimhen was ruled out of the September fixtures while continuing his recovery from a muscle injury. The Galatasaray forward had initially been named in Eric Chelle’s 24-man squad.
The Super Eagles announced the change on their official social media platforms, welcoming the Coventry striker back to the national team. The announcement read: “Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi replaces Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Welcome back, Taiwo.”
Osimhen suffered the injury during Galatasaray’s Turkish Super Lig match against Istanbul Basaksehir on September 4. Medical examinations subsequently revealed a muscle strain and pain in his right thigh, and his recovery has taken longer than initially expected. CAF confirmed that he will miss Nigeria’s matches on September 25 and 29.
Awoniyi’s recall gives Chelle another experienced option in attack. The 29-year-old has previously represented Nigeria but has not featured for the Super Eagles since October 2024, when he played 16 minutes in the team’s 1-0 victory over Libya.
His return comes as Nigeria prepare to begin their AFCON 2027 qualification campaign. The Super Eagles will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on September 25 before travelling to Bissau to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.
Osimhen’s absence is significant given his record for Nigeria. The striker has scored 35 goals in 52 appearances for the national team. His availability for the subsequent friendly against Russia on October 6 will depend on his recovery and return to competitive action.
Awoniyi will now join Akor Adams, Tolu Arokodare and other attacking options as Nigeria seek a strong start to their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
