Nigerians are thirsty to win AFCON again, Sports Minister Enoh tells Peseiro

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, on Wednesday directed the Super Eagles manager, Jose Peseiro to make sure that the team wins the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Enoh said this during a meeting he had with the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau and Peseiro ahead of the AFCON which starts next month in Ivory Coast.

The Minister also told Peseiro that Nigerians are thirsty to win the AFCON again with the country having last won the trophy under the late Stephen Keshi in South Africa back in the year 2013.

“After ten years, the country is thirsty to win the AFCON. It will matter a great deal to the Nigerian people and the government of President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,” Enoh said.

“It is important to not just leave the task to the NFF alone, but the government is also interested in being able to tell the Nigerian people what is being done in that regard.”

Enoh added that Nigeria as a country is so passionate about football, such that amidst all other sports, football is about the only sport that has an entry in the nation’s national budget.

According to the Sports Minister, that is how important football is because whatever happens to it, happens to us as a country.

The Super Eagles have been drawn to face host nation Ivory Coast in Group A of the 2023 African Cup of Nations.

Nigeria will also do battle with two other countries, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, in the group stage of the tournament.