Waidi Akanni holds out no hope for Nigeria

The Super Eagles are three-time champions of the biennial competition, last lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2013.

They ended in third place in 2019 and made it as far as the Third round in 2021, having failed to qualify in both 2015 and 2017.

Former Nigeria defender Akanni, who played for his country from 1986 to 1989, is not confident that they will make any real progress in the Ivory Coast.

The Super Eagles, currently being coached by Jose Peseiro, will face the hosts as well as Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Akanni said on Nigeriasoccernet: "My expectations are the same whenever Super Eagles play; they have become very unreliable. So, I won't expect much from them because I don't want to be disappointed.

"Winning AFCON will be a miracle for Nigeria. It would be presumptuous of me to expect Super Eagles to come out tops at the championship."

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