The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Malawian referee Godfrey Philip Nkhakananga to officiate Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya.
The match is scheduled for Friday, October 11, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, with kick-off set for 5 p.m. Nigerian time.
Nkhakananga will be supported by fellow Malawians, Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti as assistant referees, while Keabetswe Dintwa from Botswana will serve as the fourth official.
Additionally, Munkaila Nassam Adam from Ghana has been appointed as the match commissioner, with Niger’s Issaka Boubacar taking on the role of referee assessor. Nigeria’s Mayowa Akingbemisilu will handle the broadcast venue manager duties.
Nkhakananga’s appointment comes after a controversial suspension in 2023. He was banned for four months due to poor officiating during an Airtel Top 8 Cup match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers, where he failed to restart play properly and allowed a goal from a dead ball, causing the match to descend into chaos and be abandoned.
Despite this blemish, CAF has entrusted Nkhakananga to officiate his first-ever match involving Nigeria and Libya.
The Super Eagles currently top Group D with four points from two games, following a 3-0 win over Benin and a goalless draw with Rwanda. Nigeria will be keen to strengthen their lead with back-to-back matches against Libya, as they push closer to AFCON 2025 qualification.
