By Stephen O. Benjamin
Newly appointed Flying Eagles Coach, Abdul Maikaba, has promised to give more players from the Nationwide League One (NLO) the opportunity to prove themselves in the national U-20 team setup.
Maikaba gave the assurance while speaking at the Area 3 centre of the ongoing 2026 NLO season in Abuja, where he monitored matches and scouted for young talents.
The coach, who recently released a 35-man list for the Flying Eagles, said the timing of the NLO season limited his chances of selecting more grassroots players before the team’s camping programme commenced.
“I spite of the fact that I have released my 35-man list, that does not mean there are no other talents in the country,” Maikaba said.
“If I see any good player, I can always give him the opportunity to come and prove himself in the national team.”
He explained that he had been travelling across different centres to monitor games in search of talented young players capable of representing Nigeria at the U-20 level.
“I have seen games in Kano, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and now Abuja. I wish I had enough time to go round more centres because I believe there are many talents in the NLO,” he said.
Maikaba described the standard of competition in the grassroots league as impressive, noting that he was particularly excited by the quality displayed at the Area 3 centre in Abuja.
“I was highly impressed with what I saw here. I noticed one outstanding player, number 14 of Galadima FC, Samson Joshua, and I will give him a chance to come and compete for a place in the national team,” he said.
The coach also noted that many players within the U-20 age bracket are predominantly found in the NLO rather than the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
“If the NLO had started earlier, I would probably have picked more players from the league because most players within the age limit are there,” he said.
Maikaba added that he also monitored the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 4 competition, where he identified quality players from Sporting Lagos FC.
“I picked four players from Sporting Lagos because they are within the age limit and they are a very good side. I want to build my team around such quality,” he said.
Speaking on his immediate targets with the Flying Eagles, Maikaba said qualifying for the WAFU tournament and the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations remained the priority.
“First, we must qualify for the AFCON through the WAFU competition, and after that, the focus will be on the World Cup,” he said.
The coach added that his long-term ambition was to surpass the achievement of former Flying Eagles coach Samson Siasia, who led Nigeria to a silver medal finish at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“If we can equal or improve on that record, Nigerians will be happy. It will not be easy because we do not have much time, but we have the talents and we can do it,” he said.
Maikaba reiterated his commitment to giving deserving NLO players opportunities in the national team whenever they prove their quality.
NAN reports that the NLO remains Nigeria’s largest grassroots football league and has continued to serve as a major platform for talent discovery and player development across the country.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
