Ex-Super Eagles goalkeeper backs Nwabali to reclaim No.1 spot from Maduka Okoye

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has backed Stanley Nwabali to swiftly reclaim his position as Nigeria’s first-choice shot-stopper following his return to club football.

Nwabali recently signed a new deal to return to South African Premiership side Chippa United, ending a painful five-month sabbatical from the sport.

Speaking to the media, Akpeyi, who enjoyed a long career with Kaizer Chiefs and the Nigerian national team, insisted that Nwabali’s international pedigree remains untouched despite his recent period of inactivity.

“He has been excellent, absolutely excellent. Faultless for Nigeria. He has taken them to places. He performed consistently well for the Super Eagles,” Akpeyi told FARPost.

Akpeyi noted that Nwabali’s exclusion from recent national team camps under head coach Eric Chelle was purely a consequence of his employment status rather than a decline in ability.

“A lot can change in a season. Football is so fluid. I know he will manage to get back his form and earn the trust of the coaches; then he will rise again quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was [Nigeria’s No. 1] in the next few games,” he added.

Nwabali initially shocked football fans when he terminated his contract with Chippa United by mutual consent in February 2026.

At the time, speculation mounted that the 30-year-old was forcing a move to a bigger club following his commanding performances that helped Nigeria secure a silver medal at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations and a record-extending bronze medal at the 2025 edition.

However, his representative recently revealed that the goalkeeper actually stepped away from the game to cope with the devastating grief of losing both of his parents and his grandmother in a shockingly short period.

After prioritising his mental health, Nwabali has returned to the familiar surroundings of the Eastern Cape to rebuild his career.

While Nwabali focused on personal healing, his absence allowed a fierce new competitive dynamic to blossom within the Super Eagles’ goalkeeping ranks.

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Udinese’s Maduka Okoye; Wrexham’s Arthur Okonkwo, who officially switched his international allegiance from England in April 2026; and Francis Uzoho stepped up to marshal the Nigerian defence.

The trio shared the goalkeeping responsibilities, but Okoye appeared to have emerged as the preferred starting goalkeeper in Nwabali’s absence. 

Now back in the professional fold, Nwabali faces a battle to reconvince Eric Chellez as the Super Eagles look ahead to the qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.