Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets began their 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on a disappointing note after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Niger in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The defeat leaves Nigeria under pressure ahead of their next fixture against Côte d’Ivoire, with their hopes of qualifying for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup hanging in the balance.

Niger took the lead in the 19th minute through Abdoul Razaq Zada, giving their side an early advantage and forcing the Golden Eaglets to chase the game.

Nigeria battled to find a way back into the contest but struggled to prevent their opponents from maintaining their advantage.

Niger appeared to have sealed the victory when Abdoul Rakilou struck in the 86th minute to double their lead and put the Golden Eaglets in a difficult position.

Mubarak Fasiu pulled one back for Nigeria in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but his late effort proved insufficient to prevent the defeat.

The result handed Niger all three points and left Nigeria needing a strong response in their remaining group fixture.

Nigeria must now defeat Côte d’Ivoire in their next match to keep their qualification hopes alive, with another setback potentially ending their ambitions of reaching both the U-17 AFCON and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, need only a draw to secure progression to the next round, putting additional pressure on the Nigerian youngsters.

The WAFU-B U-17 Championship serves as the qualifying tournament for the continental youth competition, which also provides a pathway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Following their opening defeat, the Golden Eaglets must improve their performance and take their chances against Côte d’Ivoire to avoid an early exit.

The stakes are now high for Nigeria, who will need to produce a determined display in their next outing to keep their hopes of returning to the major youth football stage alive.