National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko has described Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau as unacceptable, while questioning how the playing surface at the Estádio 24 de Setembro was approved to host a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
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The Super Eagles suffered their first defeat under Eric Chelle on Tuesday as Guinea-Bissau punished a poor Nigerian display through goals from Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló. Nigeria are now on three points from two Group L matches, while the Wild Dogs have six.
Dikko, however, believes the result should be treated as a bad day at the office rather than a reason for panic, although he stressed that the players must understand how dramatically the competitive landscape of African football has changed.
For the NSC chairman, there are “no more pushovers” on the continent, meaning reputation alone can no longer carry Nigeria through qualifying matches.
But Dikko also raised a separate concern over the conditions in Bissau, questioning CAF’s decision to approve the stadium.
Concerns over the surface were not limited to Nigeria. Before kick-off, Guinea-Bissau coach Emiliano Té acknowledged that the pitch was problematic, while reports from the Super Eagles camp indicated that even some Guinea-Bissau players would have preferred the fixture to be staged elsewhere.
Persistent rain during Guinea-Bissau’s wet season had left the surface soft and uneven, affecting the movement of the ball.
Chelle subsequently admitted that the pitch and intense heat affected his team, although he refused to present either as a complete excuse and conceded that Guinea-Bissau were more aggressive, motivated and effective.
That distinction is important to Dikko’s assessment.
The NSC chairman accepts that Nigeria’s performance was unacceptable and believes the players must take lessons from it, but he also wants questions asked about whether such a surface should meet the standards required for top-level African international football.
The defeat has already intensified debate around Nigeria’s qualification campaign, with the Super Eagles now needing a strong response in November’s double-header against Tanzania.
For Dikko, therefore, Bissau produced two uncomfortable questions: why did the Super Eagles perform so poorly and why was a pitch that generated concerns from both camps cleared to stage such an important international match?
