Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has thrown his weight behind Stanley Nwabali reclaiming his place as Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper, insisting the Chippa United shot-stopper remains “faultless” for the national team despite a turbulent six months without a club.
Speaking to FARPost, the former Kaizer Chief man dismissed suggestions that Nwabali’s spell without a club would damage his standing under Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle According to Akpeyi, Nwabali “has been excellent, absolutely excellent,” and “faultless for Nigeria,” having “performed consistently well for the Super Eagles”
He went further, predicting a swift return to the fold once the goalkeeper rebuilds his match sharpness. Consequently, Akpeyi does not rule out Nwabali starting for Nigeria again in the near future, describing football as fluid enough for the 30-year-old to quickly “earn the trust of the coaches” and rise back to the top of the pecking order.
Nwabali’s absence from club football had opened the door for competition. During his time as a free agent, Francis Uzoho of Omonia FC and Udinese’s Maduka Okoye had emerged as favourites to inherit Nigeria’s No. 1 jersey
However, Akpeyi believes the goalkeeper’s surprise return to Chippa United, the club that first gave him his platform, was a shrewd move designed specifically to force his way back into contention. As he explained, regular game time remains non-negotiable for any goalkeeper hoping to stay in the national reckoning, since a lack of match rhythm makes a recall almost impossible regardless of reputation.
Nwabali’s rise has been built on big-match heroics for the Super Eagles, from penalty exploits that helped Nigeria reach the AFCON 2023 final to a string of commanding displays at AFCON 2025 in Morocco. His six-month absence from competitive football, following a failed push for a European move, briefly threatened to unsettle Nigeria’s goalkeeping department, but Akpeyi’s endorsement adds weight to the belief that the shirt is still his to lose.
With Chelle continuing to build his squad ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming assignments, Nwabali’s return to regular action at Chippa United could prove decisive in settling the goalkeeping question early.
Nwabali will be aiming to string together consistent performances for Chippa United in the coming weeks to reassert his case, while Chelle weighs his options between the returning first-choice man and the challengers who stepped up during his absence. Should Akpeyi’s prediction hold, a recall to the Super Eagles squad could come as soon as Nigeria’s next set of international fixtures.
