Okonkwo thrilled for matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau

Super Eagles goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo is excited about Nigeria's first matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. He called joining Nigeria’s competition camp a dream come true.

"It’s a dream come true, and it being my first time in Nigeria, I’m happy to be here. I didn’t want to miss this for anything," Okonkwo told NFF TV.

"I am excited for the first game against Madagascar and obviously against Guinea-Bissau. I know they’re tough games, and the manager has made that clear, but I am excited to see it."

The 24-year-old is back in Éric Chelle’s squad after a strong start in senior international football. He says his time with the national team has been great because of how welcoming his teammates have been.

On the fight for the starting goalkeeper position against Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, Okonkwo said he is eager to learn from them instead of worrying about the competition. "The boys have been very welcoming. They’ve been in the Nigerian set-up much longer than me, and I look forward to learning from them."

"They’re fantastic goalkeepers I can learn from, and I’m just taking it day by day," he added.

Okonkwo already has a solid start to his international career. He made his Super Eagles debut in Nigeria's 2-0 win over Zimbabwe at the Unity Cup in May. He kept another clean sheet in the 3-0 final win over Jamaica, giving him two clean sheets in his first two senior games.

His club performance has also helped his case. Since moving to Charlton Athletic on loan from Wrexham, Okonkwo has been playing regularly in the Championship. He has recorded three clean sheets in six league games by mid-September.

The competition for the goalkeeper spot is still tough. Nwabali is already in camp, while Okoye reported late after 23 other players took part in Nigeria’s first training session. Okoye’s late arrival raised some questions on social media before he finally joined the group.

For now, Okonkwo says he is focused less on the individual fight for the gloves and more on helping Nigeria start the qualifiers with a win.

The Super Eagles will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on September 25. They will then travel to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.