Nigeria’s U-20 national team head coach Abdu Maikaba has declared that securing qualification for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations is Nigeria’s top priority ahead of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Speaking ahead of the regional tournament, Maikaba stressed that the team’s immediate goal is to reach the semi-finals, a feat that would guarantee qualification for the continental championship scheduled to be hosted by Ghana in 2027.
“Our first objective is to qualify for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana,” Maikaba told BSN Sports.
“Once we secure qualification by reaching the semi-finals, our attention will shift to winning the WAFU B championship for Nigeria.”
The WAFU B U-20 Championship will be held in Côte d’Ivoire from July 26 to August 9, 2026, with the official draw slated for July 15.
All seven member nations of the WAFU B zone will participate in the competition, battling for the available qualification slots for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
After missing out on recent success at the continental level, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will be determined to book their place at the 2027 AFCON while also competing for regional glory in Côte d’Ivoire.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
