The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Augustine Eguavoen, 59, will remain interim coach of the Nigeria men’s national team. The veteran coach, who also serves as the NFF’s Technical Director, will lead the Super Eagles against Libya in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in October.
Eguavoen will be supported by Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa, and Slovenian coach Tomaz Zorec.
The announcement comes after talks with German coach Bruno Labbadia fell through. Eguavoen had been called upon to manage the team in earlier qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, securing a 3-0 victory over Benin in Uyo and a 0-0 draw with Rwanda.
In a statement released to the press, the NFF said: “The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for Augustine Eguavoen to continue as Head Coach of the Super Eagles. He will lead the team in the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifying matches against Libya next month.”
The NFF highlighted Eguavoen’s recent successes: “The 58-year-old, in temporary charge of the squad, led the three-time African champions to a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic and a scoreless draw with Rwanda.”
Veteran Nigerian coach Samson Unuanel voiced his support for Eguavoen, stating in an interview with: “In football, we say a coach is only as good as his last match. Eguavoen earned four points from two games. The NFF should give him a chance and allow him to manage the team for at least a year to see what he can achieve.
“Unuanel added: “We have capable people to get the job done. The commitment shown by both players and coaches against Benin Republic and Rwanda is exactly what we want. This is what national duty should look like—everyone fighting for the country.”
Nigeria currently tops Group B with four points from two matches. The team will host Libya on October 6th at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo as they continue their quest for a spot in the 2025 AFCON tournament.
In other news, the NFF’s Executive Committee has also appointed Justin Madugu as interim coach of the Nigeria women’s team, following the departure of Randy Waldrum, while the search for a permanent replacement continues.
