Sudan’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Nigeria at CHAN PAMOJA 2024 in Zanzibar has prompted a sobering warning from Mohamed Kabwanga, Media and Communication Officer of the Zanzibar Football Federation.
Kabwanga, who admires Nigerian football deeply, expressed his disappointment after witnessing Nigeria’s heavy defeat, but also offered a blunt assessment of the state of Nigerian club football.
“I love Nigeria’s national football team and I love Nigeria as a nation. I was so sad after watching this game,” Kabwanga said. “But the reality is, if this was the CAF Champions League, Nigeria would still be in the same position on the table.”
The comment draws attention to Nigeria’s ongoing struggles on the continental club scene, where Nigerian teams have failed to replicate the dominance of past decades.
“It is the right time for Nigeria to return to what their league used to be, when countries were afraid of Nigerian league teams in Africa,” Kabwanga added, calling for a revival of the country’s once-feared domestic competition.
Indeed, Nigeria’s last major club success came over 15 years ago when Enyimba International FC won back-to-back CAF Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004. Since then, Nigerian clubs have often exited early, reflecting wider challenges in player development and domestic league quality.
This decline was on full display as Sudan — whose CHAN squad largely mirrors their national team that recently eliminated Ghana from AFCON qualification — dismantled Nigeria to claim top spot in Group D alongside Senegal.
Veteran journalist Ben Ahenda from Kenya has also highlighted the disconnect between Nigeria’s grassroots talent and the top-flight league, pointing out that many Nigerian players excelling internationally actually come from the NLO, the country’s third tier, rather than the NPFL.
Kabwanga’s remarks echo the growing call for Nigeria to rebuild its footballing foundations, restore confidence, and reclaim its position as a powerhouse in African football.
Sports247 is reporting live from Zanzibar, with exclusive coverage made possible by Showtime, providing Nigerian fans with full access to all the drama and realities unfolding at CHAN 2024.
