Nigerian referee Joseph Odey Ogabor has been handed the assignment to officiate the AFCON 2027 qualifying Group E opener between Democratic Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea, with the Confederation of African Football naming an entirely Nigerian officiating panel for the fixture.

The match is set to take place at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte in Kinshasa on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm local time.

An all-Nigerian panel

Ogabor will be flanked by two compatriots on the touchline: Tejiri Besmart Digbori as Assistant Referee One and Emmanuel Omada as Assistant Referee Two. Grema Mohamed completes the panel as fourth official.

The appointment underlines the growing confidence CAF has in Nigerian officiating talent on the continental stage.

A referee building his continental résumé

Ogabor is a familiar face in the Nigeria Premier Football League, where he regularly takes charge of top-flight fixtures. His continental experience is also well established — he has officiated in both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.

Most recently, Ogabor was in the middle for the CAF Champions League preliminary-round clash between Medeama and TP Mazembe, a high-profile assignment that added further weight to his growing reputation. He previously took charge of a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Tunisia and Comoros.

Thursday's Group E encounter in Kinshasa will give Ogabor and his colleagues another opportunity to demonstrate their quality at the highest level of African football.