Victor Osimhen will lead Nigeria for one of the most important matches of their Africa Cup of Nations campaign after being handed the captain’s armband for the semi-final showdown against hosts Morocco.
The Super Eagles striker steps into the role following the suspension of regular captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is sidelined after accumulating two yellow cards during the tournament.
Ndidi was first booked in Nigeria’s Round of 16 victory over Mozambique before receiving another caution in the quarter-final win against Tunisia, automatically ruling him out of the last-four clash.
Osimhen’s appointment comes as no surprise. Named vice-captain ahead of the competition, the Napoli forward has already worn the armband once during Nigeria’s group-stage encounter with Uganda. Now, he will shoulder leadership duties again as Nigeria chase a place in the AFCON final.
The 25-year-old arrives at the semi-final in blistering form. He was instrumental in Nigeria’s emphatic 2–0 quarter-final win over Algeria, finding the net and setting up a teammate to underline his influence at both ends of the pitch.
Nigeria’s growing momentum has not gone unnoticed, even among rivals. South Africa forward Zakhele Lepasa has tipped the Super Eagles as the strongest team remaining in the competition, citing their attacking depth and defensive balance.
Speaking on SABC News, Lepasa suggested Nigeria are driven by a point to prove after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Nigeria are under pressure because they didn’t qualify for the World Cup, which most of us were happy about because they are our arch-rivals,” he said.
“They want to show that they are still the best, even without qualifying.”
Lepasa pointed to Nigeria’s attacking output as a clear indicator of their dominance at the tournament.
“Right now, they are the best team at AFCON. They’ve scored fourteen goals and players like Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are leading the way,” he added.
Pre-tournament doubts surrounding Nigeria have largely faded following a series of commanding performances in Morocco. With 14 goals scored, the Super Eagles boast the most prolific attack in the competition.
While acknowledging Morocco’s impressive home run, Lepasa questioned whether the Atlas Lions have truly been pushed to their limits.
“They can win it, but have they really been tested?” he asked.
“If you look at their games, only the match against Cameroon was a real 50-50 contest.”
He also raised concerns about Morocco’s reliance on key decisions and individual brilliance.
“They are playing at home and have done well, but some VAR decisions have gone their way. When they face Nigeria, the big question is who stops Lookman and Osimhen?”
Morocco have scored nine goals at the tournament, with five coming from Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Díaz — a statistic Lepasa believes exposes a lack of attacking balance.
“If you depend on one player, that’s where Nigeria have the edge,” he said.
“Osimhen has four goals, Lookman has three, and others are contributing too. I don’t see Nigeria being easy to stop.”
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As the semi-final approaches, Nigeria’s confidence is rising — and with Osimhen wearing the armband, the Super Eagles will look to back up the growing belief that this could be their tournament to win.
