Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has made a late change to Nigeria’s squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Taiwo Awoniyi called up to replace injured Victor Osimhen.

Awoniyi’s invitation follows confirmation that Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s opening qualifying fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after failing to recover sufficiently from the muscle injury he sustained earlier this month. 

Osimhen suffered the injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on September 4 and has subsequently missed three matches for the Turkish champions, including their UEFA Champions League encounter against Sporting Lisbon and Saturday’s league meeting with Trabzonspor. 

The 27-year-old striker had initially been included in Chelle’s 24-man squad after Nigeria’s coaching staff hoped he would recover in time for the qualifiers.

However, his continued absence from Galatasaray’s squad against Trabzonspor effectively ended those hopes, with the Turkish club also communicating his condition to the Super Eagles technical crew. 

Osimhen had started the 2026/27 campaign in prolific form, scoring six goals and providing two assists in four Turkish Super Lig appearances before the injury interrupted his run. 

Awoniyi now returns to the Super Eagles setup at a crucial stage of his career. The Coventry City striker joined the English Championship club during the summer transfer window and will have an opportunity to work under Chelle again as Nigeria begin their AFCON qualification campaign.

The late invitation also adds experience to Nigeria’s attacking options, with Chelle already having Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and George Ilenikhena available among the forwards originally selected. 

Arokodare has enjoyed an encouraging start to the season with Ajax, while Adams remains another established option in the squad. Ilenikhena, meanwhile, is still waiting for his senior international debut. 

Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on September 25 before travelling for the second qualifier against Guinea-Bissau on September 29. 

Osimhen’s absence leaves Chelle without one of his principal attacking options, but the latest squad adjustment ensures that another experienced striker is available as Nigeria begin the qualification campaign.

Awoniyi's invitation provides an opportunity to stake his claim for a prominent role in the Super Eagles attack as Nigeria look to make a strong start to their journey towards the 2027 AFCON.