Victor Osimhen has been excluded from Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming doubleheader 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Libya.

Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen, in a squad list released on Saturday, opted to leave out Osimhen due to injury concerns. In his place, the coach has called up the in-form Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman, as part of a 23-man squad.

The squad features regulars like captain William Troost-Ekong, winger Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, Stanley Nwabali, Samuel Chukwueze, Wilfred Ndidi, and Victor Boniface, among others.

Defender Bright Osayi-Samuel returns to the team after missing out on the previous qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda in September. Playmaker Chidera Ejuke also makes his comeback to the squad after a lengthy absence.

Nigeria is set to face the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in a two-legged clash. The three-time AFCON champions will host the first leg at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, October 11th, before traveling to Benghazi for the return leg at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium on Tuesday, October 15th.

All invited players are expected to report to camp in Uyo on Monday, October 7th.

Full Squad List:

Goalkeepers:

•Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)

•Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy)

•Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia)

Defenders:

•William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia)

•Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey)

•Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal)

•Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)

•Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England)

•Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

•Benjamin Tanimu (Crawley Town, England)

Midfielders:

•Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)

•Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)

•Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA)

•Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy)

•Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany)

•Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards:

•Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)

•Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain)

•Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy)

•Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain)

•Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

•Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)

•Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)