President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has issued a firm ultimatum to Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, declaring that the team must reach the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco or be deemed a failure.

Gusau made the statement while speaking on Eagle FM, in a clip shared on X, stressing that the mandate handed to the Malian tactician leaves no room for excuses.

“The mandate given to Eric Chelle is to get to the AFCON final,” Gusau said.

Chelle’s appointment has sparked intense debate within Nigerian football circles. The former Mali assistant coach and ex-Djoliba AC manager, who is relatively unknown on the global stage, was chosen ahead of several high-profile candidates previously linked with the Super Eagles job — a decision that attracted scepticism from fans and analysts.

With AFCON 2025 drawing closer, Gusau insisted that anything short of a final appearance would be unacceptable, underscoring the federation’s high expectations and the pressure on the 47-year-old coach as he settles into the role.

Nigeria last lifted the AFCON trophy in 2013, defeating Burkina Faso to secure their third continental title. Since then, the Super Eagles have struggled to translate promise into silverware, crashing out early at AFCON 2021 and finishing runners-up at the 2023 tournament after a narrow final defeat to host nation Côte d’Ivoire.