Nigeria is confident of retaining head coach Eric Chelle, with Footy-Africa gathering that talks over a new contract have begun.
Footy-Africa can exclusively report that Chelle and his entourage were at the office of the National Sports Commission on Tuesday.
They met with the Chairman of the Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, in a closed-door meeting, with a new contract said to be one of the major talking points.
Eguavoen backs long-term contract for Super Eagles coach Chelle
The meeting lasted several hours before the Malian coach and his entourage departed the venue in an atmosphere of optimism.
It is believed that the discussions were productive, with talks expected to resume in the coming days.
Earlier, the Director General of the Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, disclosed to Footy-Africa that extending Chelle’s contract is on the commission’s to-do list.
“We have a list of many things we want to achieve in 2026, and extending Chelle’s contract is also on that list. He’s not going anywhere because he’s happy here,” he told Footy-Africa on Sunday.
NSC boss Olopade confirms Chelle’s extension talks, defends Osimhen
Chelle signed a two-year contract in January 2025 to become head coach of Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles.
The former Mali boss led Nigeria to a top-three finish at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Although the team fell short of the title, they exited the tournament with an unbeaten record in regulation time, winning five matches and drawing two. Nigeria lost to Morocco on penalties in the semifinals before defeating Egypt to claim the bronze medal.
Eric Chelle has attracted interest from Tunisia, Gabon, and Angola following his impressive outing in Morocco.
