After being dropped from the Super Eagles squad for the two friendly matches between Ukraine and Brazil, South Africa based goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi leads the pack of returnee players to the squad for the double header AFCON 2021 qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.
The 23-man list announced by the Nigeria Football Federation also has Captain Ahmed Musa who has been side lined by injury for a while making his return while Portugal based Mikel Agu also makes a return to the team.
The team has three goalkeepers, eight defenders, five midfielders and seven strikers who will battle for shirts in the Coach Gernot Rohr led team.
Prominent in the list are Leicester City midfield battler, Wilfred Ndidi, new sensation, Joe Aribo of Rangers of Scotland, Alex Iwobi of Everton and Victor Osimhen of Lille of France.
Nigeria, who have won the AFCON on three occasions, will face Benin on November 13 before taking on Lesotho four days later.
The 23-man list:
Goalkeepers
Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)
Defenders
Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Bryan Idowu (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia)
Midfielders
Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)
Forwards
Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge, Belgium); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France)
