Former Nigeria international Jide Olugboji has questioned the quality and effectiveness of the Super Eagles’ alternative attacking options, expressing concern over the team’s continued struggles whenever first-choice striker Victor Osimhen is unavailable.
Olugboji’s criticism follows Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, a match in which Eric Chelle’s side failed to find the net despite fielding several established forwards.
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Osimhen missed both the Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau matches after failing to recover from a muscle injury sustained while playing for Galatasaray. The 27-year-old has scored 35 goals in 52 senior appearances for Nigeria, underlining the considerable attacking void his absence creates.
But Olugboji believes a country with Nigeria’s depth of attacking talent should be capable of functioning effectively without one individual.
“I’m disappointed with the forwards we saw against Guinea-Bissau,” the former Brentford player said, questioning why Nigeria’s attacking threat repeatedly appears diminished whenever Osimhen is unavailable.
Against Guinea-Bissau, Chelle started Taiwo Awoniyi and Akor Adams, with Ademola Lookman also operating in attack. Moses Simon and Moses Usor were introduced at half-time before George Ilenikhena and Tolu Arokodare were subsequently called upon as Nigeria searched unsuccessfully for a way back into the contest.
The options available make Olugboji’s concern particularly pointed.
Nigeria were not without recognised strikers; they were without their leading one. Awoniyi returned to the starting XI for the first time in almost three years, while Ilenikhena and Usor had both scored on their senior international debuts in the 2-1 victory over Madagascar four days earlier.
Yet none could provide the attacking response required in Bissau.
Osimhen’s importance to the national team is unquestionable, but Olugboji believes the Super Eagles must develop a system in which his absence does not dramatically reduce their ability to hurt opponents.
The former international has previously backed the integration of emerging players into the Super Eagles, praising the blend of youth and experience introduced around the national team during the 2025 Unity Cup.
The Bissau defeat, however, has raised a different question for him: among Nigeria’s many forwards, who is genuinely prepared to carry the goalscoring responsibility when Osimhen is not there?
With four AFCON qualifying matches remaining, Olugboji believes Chelle needs an answer.
Nigeria cannot afford to become a team whose attacking identity disappears every time Victor Osimhen’s name is missing from the team sheet.
