By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have begun assembling in Morocco ahead of their crucial semi-final clash against Gabon, with seven players and team officials already in camp at the Rive Hotel in Rabat.
The camp is expected to officially open tomorrow as preparations intensify for the highly anticipated encounter.
The players currently on ground include Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, Olakunle Olusegun, Wilfred Ndidi, and Moses Simon.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong, Benjamin Fredericks, and Chidozie Awaziem are due to join later tonight, while the remaining members of the squad are scheduled to arrive from their respective clubs across Europe and beyond in the coming hours.
Nigeria will face Gabon in the first semi-final at the 22,000-capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.
The second semi-final will see Cameroon square off against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the 18,000-capacity El-Barid Stadium, also in the Moroccan capital.
The Super Eagles’ technical crew is expected to begin full training sessions once the full complement of players report to camp, as Nigeria targets another continental final appearance.
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.
