Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed that personal matters prompted him to withdraw from the Nigeria squad for the Unity Cup and the June friendlies against Portugal and Poland.

The Nottingham Forest striker spoke to SportsBoom about his absence, insisting the decision had nothing to do with form or fitness, but rather off-field commitments he needed to address.

"I was supposed to be in the Super Eagles camp, but I opted out because of personal reasons I have to attend to," Awoniyi told SportsBoom. "We have lots of talents in the Super Eagles, so for me, everyone that is in the team for the June friendlies is as good as me, just as I'm as good as them."

His words reflect a confidence in the depth of Nigeria's attacking options, even as his own recent club form has been among the most impressive in the squad.

A landmark season at the City Ground

Awoniyi marked his 100th appearance for Nottingham Forest in emphatic fashion, contributing a brace in a 3-1 away victory over Chelsea — a result that underlined his value to the club.

Despite navigating a stop-start campaign hampered by injuries, the Nigerian forward's finishing remained razor-sharp throughout. His goal-scoring rate has made him one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League in key moments.

Awoniyi originally joined Nottingham Forest ahead of their return to the Premier League in June 2022 in a then club-record deal reportedly worth £17 million. He wasted little time proving his worth, netting six goals in four matches at the end of the 2022/23 season — including the winner against Arsenal that kept Forest in the top flight.

Historic scoring run

The striker also made history as the first Nottingham Forest player ever to score in seven consecutive Premier League matches. That remarkable run featured goals against Arsenal, Southampton, and Chelsea, among others, cementing his status as a match-winner at the highest level.

With Nigeria's June international window now concluded, attention turns to what Awoniyi can bring to the Super Eagles in future campaigns — whenever personal matters allow him to return to the fold.