The stage is set, the drums are beating, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles B are ready to write a fresh chapter in their CHAN story—starting with a tough opener against defending champions Senegal.

Whenever Nigeria and Senegal clash on African soil, it’s more than just a football match—it’s a battle of pride, pedigree, and power. But this time, it’s even trickier. With CHAN 2024 being a tournament exclusively for home-based players, the margin for error is thinner than ever. Senegal, having dominated African football across all levels in recent years, step into this tournament as the team to beat.

Yet Nigeria’s home-grown heroes aren’t here to just make up the numbers. Bronze medalists in 2014 and runners-up in 2018, the Super Eagles B know what it means to grind in this championship. Though their CHAN journey has been a rollercoaster—from heart-breaking exits to magical comebacks—this squad is hungry to turn potential into silverware.

Led by coach Eric Sekou Chelle—doubling as the boss of Nigeria’s A team—the 23-man squad has undergone intense preparations. After weeks of drills in Ikenne-Remo and a productive training tour in Zanzibar, the team is buzzing with belief.

Key returnees like goalkeeper Ozoemena Ani, defenders Sodiq Ismaila and Junior Nduka, midfield dynamo Alex Oyowah, and attacking threats Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi will bring experience and confidence, especially after dismantling Ghana’s Black Galaxies 3-0 on aggregate in the qualifiers.

Joining the mix are impressive additions such as defenders Steven Mayo and Leonard Ngenge, midfield workhorses Adedayo Olamilekan, Hadi Haruna, Michael Tochukwu, and attacking firepower in Temitope Vincent, Shola Adelani, and Godwin Obaje.

Group D may be lean with only four teams—Senegal, Nigeria, Congo, and Sudan—but it’s brimming with tension. The stakes are sky-high as Nigeria begins their campaign at the 15,000-seater Amaan Stadium. For Chelle and his team, anything less than three points will complicate the road to glory.

This CHAN edition, dubbed PAMOJA 2024, is already historic, co-hosted across five stadiums in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. For Nigeria, it’s more than a tournament—it’s a redemption mission, a hunt for history, and a chance to finally claim that elusive gold.