Leganes defender Kenneth Omeruo and Bordeaux midfielder Samuel Kalu are the first of the 23-invited players to report to the Le Meridien Hotel camp of the Super Eagles ahead of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers against the Benin Republic and Lesotho.
The players join head coach Gernot Rohr freshly returned from Egypt where he spent time with the U23 team at the U23 AFCON and goalkeeper coach Alloy Agu in reporting to camp on Sunday.
Both players are back in the squad for the first time since injury forced them out of the team that faced Brazil in an international friendly match in Singapore last month.
Other members of the 23-man squad are expected to hit camp on Monday as the three-times champions intensify preparations for the start of their campaign in Group L.
The Super Eagles are looking to qualify for a second straight AFCON for the first time since embarking on an unbroken run of six AFCON tournaments between 2000 and 2010.
They start their qualification campaign against the Squirrels of Benin Republic on 13 November at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo before travelling to Maseru to play Lesotho’s Crocodiles on Sunday, 17 November, on Day Two of the qualifying series.
The Confederation of African Football has picked Senegalese official Issa Sy as referee for the match between Nigeria and the Benin Republic in Uyo.
Sy will be assisted by compatriots Nouha Bangoura (assistant referee 1), El Hadji Abdoul Aziz Gueye (assistant referee 2) and Fatou Thioune (fourth official) at the encounter scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, from 5pm.
Other matches in Group L will see Sierra Leone host Lesotho on 13 November before they travel to play the Benin Republic on 17 November.
The top two sides qualify automatically for the 2021 AFCON which will be held in Cameroon.
23 EAGLES TO BATTLE BENIN REPUBLIC & LESOTHO
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)
Standby: Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion, England); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England)
