Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Greg Etafia says Nigeria’s poor record at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) is linked to the falling standard of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The CHAN is a tournament held every two years by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players who play only in their country’s domestic leagues. Nigeria reached the final in 2018 but have failed to qualify for the last two editions, including the 2023 event in Algeria.
Etafia believes the success of the CHAN Eagles depends on the strength of the NPFL.
“You need to treat your local league well because that’s where most talents start before moving to Europe, North Africa or Southern Africa,” he said.
He pointed out that Nigerian clubs have struggled in recent years to make an impact in CAF competitions, with most failing to reach the group stages. He said this lack of experience against top African teams has slowed the growth of players.
“When clubs regularly play in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, the league improves because more teams want to get there. In the last five or six years, Nigeria has barely reached the group stages. That is the worst part,” Etafia added.
His concerns match recent global club rankings, which show the NPFL’s low position in world football. According to Soccernet.ng, Nigeria’s highest-ranked club on 14 July was Remo Stars, placed 900th in the world with an Opta rating of 71.7. They were 55th in Africa, far behind the top clubs from North and Southern Africa.
Nigeria’s CHAN squad is made up entirely of NPFL players, and Etafia warns that unless the league becomes more competitive, the country will keep struggling in tournaments for home-based players.