Former Nigeria defender Azubuike Egwuekwe has called on the Super Eagles to treat their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with absolute seriousness, cautioning that the same complacency which cost the team a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup must not be allowed to resurface.

Egwuekwe, who was part of the Nigeria squad that lifted the AFCON trophy in 2013, delivered his warning on Monday evening as the Super Eagles' camp opened in Ikot Ekpene ahead of their opening 2027 AFCON qualifier.

World Cup failure as a cautionary tale

The former defender was direct in his assessment of what went wrong during Nigeria's failed 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, pointing to a lack of focus and an underestimation of opponents as the root causes of the team's exit.