- Nigeria placed in Group B with Benin Republic and Côte d’Ivoire.
- Nigerian schoolboys begin campaign today in Ouagadougou.
- First group match holds at Stade August 4.
- Team features 19 players selected from top-performing schools nationwide.
Nigeria’s U-15 schoolboys have landed a tough group after being pitted against Benin Republic and Côte d’Ivoire in the WAFU B zonal qualifiers for the 2025 CAF Schools Football Championship. The four-day event begins this week in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.
While the competition features both boys’ and girls’ categories, Nigeria is participating only in the boys’ division. Host country Burkina Faso, Ghana and Niger Republic make up Group A, leaving Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin Republic to battle it out in Group B.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
READ ALSO: D’Tigers Beat Rwanda to Claim First Victory in World Cup Qualifiers
In the girls’ category, only two teams; Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, constitute Group A, while Ghana, Benin Republic and Niger Republic occupy Group B.
The Nigerian boys will open their campaign at 11:00 a.m. today against Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade August 4. Their second match comes up on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., when they file out against Benin Republic. Semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the third-place match and final set for Thursday.
Coach Oluwaseun Oyeniyi, who leads the Nigerian contingent of 19 players and six officials, said the team is ready to compete despite the long journey through Lagos and Abidjan before arriving in Ouagadougou on Saturday.
“The boys are confident, disciplined and eager to represent Nigeria with pride,” he said.
The squad comprises students drawn from schools that shone during the national qualifiers held in Abuja two months earlier. Players were selected from Government Basic Education School (Kaduna), Government Junior Secondary School (Jalingo), Adaigbo Secondary School (Ogwashi-Ukwu), National Grammar School (Enugu) and Ekiti Parapo College (Ido-Ekiti).
READ ALSO: Troost-Ekong Announces Shock Retirement After Super Eagles’ World Cup Exit
The goalkeeping responsibilities rest on Sa’adu Tukur from Jalingo and Joshua Chima from Ogwashi-Ukwu. Defensive duties fall to Mujaheed Nura, John Oruomoni, Hamza Ibrahim Aliyu, Tobiloba Adedeji, Divine Juwe and Timothy Ijachi.
In midfield, the team boasts Yusuf Auwal, Isaac Ajang, Thomas Titus, Peter Moses, Abdulsalam Mohammed, Ayomide Adeleke and Nnamdi Echeruozo.
Upfront, Marcus Adeyanju, Wisdom Okonkwo, Umar Faruk Shuaibu and Abdulrazzaq Mufutau will spearhead Nigeria’s hunt for goals.
The delegation is currently lodged at Hotel Splendid in Ouagadougou as preparations continue ahead of their crucial fixtures.
