# Nigeria national under-23 football team

Nigeria national under-23 football team represents Nigeria in international football competitions in Olympic Games. The selection is limited to male players under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed. The team is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation. In four appearances at the Olympic Games, the team has won gold in 1996, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2016.

## Competitive record
### Olympic Games record

Olympic Games :
| Appearances: 4 |||||||||
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| Until 1988 | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team | See Nigeria national football team |
| 1992 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1996 | Gold Medal | 1st | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 6 |
| 2000 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 2004 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2008 | Silver Medal | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 |
| 2012 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2016 | Bronze Medal | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 10 |
| 2020 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| Total | Gold Medal | 4/8 | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 41 | 30 |
* Prior to the Barcelona 1992 campaign, the Football at the Summer Olympics was open to full senior national teams.

### African Games record

African Games :
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1991 | Bronze Medal | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 |
| 1995 | Bronze Medal | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| 1999 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2003 | Silver Medal | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 |
| 2007 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2011 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2015 | Bronze Medal | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team | See Nigeria national under-20 football team |
| Total | Gold Medal | 4/7 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 33 | '12 |
* Prior to the 1991 All-Africa Games campaign, the football tournament was open to full senior national teams.
* 2019 edition of the football tournament was played by the U-20 team.

### U-23 Africa Cup of Nations record

U-23 Africa Cup of Nations :
| Appearances: 2 |||||||||
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 2011 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 2015 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 |
| 2019 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| Total | Champions | 1/3 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 11 |

## Team honours and achievements

Intercontinental
* Football at the Summer Olympics
** Gold Medal: 1996
** Silver Medal: 2008
** Bronze Medal: 2016
Continental
* U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
** Winners: 2015
* Football at the African Games
** Silver Medal: 2003
** Bronze Medal: 1991, 1995, 2015,
Other
* Inter Continental Cup
** Winners: 2008
* Niger Tournament
** Winners: 2002
* TIFOCO Tournament
** Third-place: 2003

## Players
### Current squad

Squad for the 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifiers vs. Guinea
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1GK | John Amah | | Sunshine Stars F.C. |
| 1GK | Nurudeen Badmus | | Dakkada |
| 1GK | Ifeanyi Nchekwube | | Akwa United |
| 1GK | Oriya Joseph | | Lobi Stars F.C. |
| 2DF | Christopher Nwaeze | | Zorya Luhansk |
| 2DF | Desmond Ojietefian | | Shooting Stars |
| 2DF | Okechukwu Chikason | | Enyimba F.C. |
| 2DF | Anthony Anieke | | Akwa United |
| 2DF | Samuel Olamilekan | | Niger Tornadoes |
| 2DF | Benjamin Tanimu | | Bendel Insurance |
| 2DF | Evans Ogbonda | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 22) | Port Harcourt City |
| 2DF | Umar Ahmed Farouk | | Gombe United |
| 3MF | Daniel Wotlai | | Abia Warriors |
| 3MF | Akanni Qudus | | Remo Stars |
| 3MF | Auwalu Naziru | | Enugu Rangers |
| 3MF | Chibuike Nwaiwu | | Enyimba F.C. |
| 3MF | Divine Nwachukwu | | Bendel Insurance |
| 3MF | Taofeek Malomo | | Shooting Stars |
| 3MF | Samuel Chisom | | Kwara United |
| 3MF | Samaila Sarki | | Bendel Insurance |
| 3MF | Kumaga Suur | | Lobi Stars F.C. |
| 3MF | Inye Green | | Ibani United |
| 4FW | Munir Idris | | Niger Tornadoes |
| 4FW | Ahmed Jimoh | | Kwara United |
| 4FW | Ezekiel Edidiong | (2001-08-10) 10 August 2001 (age 23) | Remo Stars |
| 4FW | Ifeanyi Ogba | | Akwa United |
| 4FW | Umar Ibrahim | | El-Kanemi Warriors |
| 4FW | Alkasin Deji Yusuf | | Dakkada |
| 4FW | Mojereola Suleiman | | Sunshine Stars F.C. |
| 4FW | Akile Monday | | Lobi Stars F.C. |

### Overage players in Olympic Games

| Tournament | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
| 1996 | Uche Okechukwu (DF) | Emmanuel Amunike (MF) | Daniel Amokachi (FW) |
| 2000 | Godwin Okpara (DF) | Garba Lawal (MF) | did not select |
| 2008 | Peter Odemwingie (FW) | did not select | did not select |
| 2016 | Daniel Akpeyi (GK) | Mikel John Obi (MF) | did not select |