We Cannot Afford Past Mistakes — Egwuekwe Warns Nigeria Ahead Of Madagascar Clash

Former Super Eagles defender and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Azubuike Egwuekwe, has urged Nigeria to approach the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign with maximum seriousness, warning the team against repeating the mistakes that contributed to its failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria will begin its Group L campaign against Madagascar on Friday, September 25, 2026, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, before travelling to Bissau to face Guinea-Bissau four days later. The Super Eagles opened camp in Ikot Ekpene on Monday evening ahead of the opening fixture.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Egwuekwe said Nigeria must avoid underestimating any of its opponents and ensure that the lessons from the previous World Cup qualifying campaign are applied to the new competition.

The former defender attributed Nigeria’s failure to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup partly to what he described as a lack of seriousness at the beginning of the qualifying campaign and an assumption that some opponents would not pose a major threat.

Egwuekwe recalled that Nigeria eventually paid a heavy price after failing to approach the early matches with the required urgency. He urged the current squad not to allow a similar situation to develop during the AFCON qualifiers.

He specifically called on the Super Eagles to respect Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, stressing that modern football has shown that no opponent can be taken for granted.

Egwuekwe pointed to Cape Verde’s performance during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign as an example of how teams regarded as less fancied can compete strongly against more established football nations.

He advised Nigeria to treat every qualifying match as though it were the decisive game for securing a place at the 2027 AFCON, rather than relying solely on the quality and experience of its players.

The former international acknowledged that Nigeria possesses considerable footballing talent but stressed that individual quality must be translated into consistent results on the pitch.

He therefore urged the Super Eagles to begin the campaign on a strong note when they face Madagascar in Uyo, insisting that the team cannot afford to repeat past errors while hoping for a different outcome.

Nigeria, a three-time AFCON champion, will then travel to Bissau for its second Group L qualifier against Guinea-Bissau on September 29.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027, with 24 teams expected to participate.