Sani Kaita believes Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup should serve as extra motivation for the Super Eagles as they begin their journey towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Nigerian international says the country possesses enough talent to not only qualify for the tournament but also compete seriously for the continental crown.
According to Kaita, missing the World Cup was a major disappointment, but the Super Eagles must now channel that frustration into their AFCON campaign.
“We have the quality to do it, and we should use the disappointment of missing the World Cup as motivation,” he said.
Nigeria will open its AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on September 25. The team will then travel for an away fixture against Guinea-Bissau on September 29.
The Super Eagles are in Group L with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, with Tanzania already assured of a place at the finals because it is among the three host nations.
Kaita, who played for Nigeria at the 2006 and 2010 AFCON tournaments as well as the 2010 World Cup, believes the Super Eagles must set their sights higher than simply securing qualification.
“It is not only about qualifying. Nigeria has the quality to compete for the AFCON title, and that should be the target,” he said.
The qualifying campaign comes as Nigeria begins a new competitive era under head coach Eric Chelle.
The Super Eagles missed out on the 2026 World Cup after failing to secure qualification, a setback that generated considerable disappointment among Nigerian football supporters.
Kaita now wants the team to put that setback to productive use by producing a strong AFCON qualifying campaign and eventually challenging for the trophy.
With Nigeria boasting a squad filled with experienced and emerging players, expectations will be high for the Super Eagles to secure their place at the 2027 tournament and mount a serious challenge when the competition takes place in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
