Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has picked first choice goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim, defender Azubuike Egwuekwe, midfielder Joshua Obaje and forward Gbolahan Salami among 23 players that will represent Nigeria at the 3rd African Nations Championship in South Africa.

Usual suspects Solomon Kwambe, Francis Benjamin, Kunle Odunlami, Umar Zango, Barnabas Imenger, Daniel Akpeyi and Ifeanyi Ede also make the list, but former junior internationals Abdullahi Shehu and Christian Pyagbara also make the cut, with FIFA U-17 World Cup winner Dele Alampasu expectedly joining the big boys so early.

Nigeria take on host South Africa, Mali and Mozambique in Group A of the championship reserved for senior players plying their trade in the domestic League of their countries. The competition runs from 11th  January – 1st February, 2014 in three South African cities.

In his quest to win the tournament just as he did at the full-strength Africa Cup of Nations staged in the same country early 2013, Coach Keshi has picked three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders

and six forwards.

Agbim, Kwambe, Benjamin and Egwuekwe are integral part of Nigeria’s A Team, while Pyagbara and Shehu played for the

Flying Eagles at the African Youth Championship in Algeria and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013.

Alampasu was selected as the Best Goalkeeper as Nigeria’s U-17 side cruised to a record fourth win at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates October/November 2013.