Nigeria vs Libya: Malawian official suspended for poor officiating named as referee for Super Eagles game

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, Soccernet.ng reports.

The match is set for Friday, October 11, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, with kick-off scheduled for 5 p.m. Nigerian time.

Nkhakananga will be joined by fellow Malawians Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti as assistant referees, while Botswana’s Keabetswe Dintwa will serve as the fourth official.

Munkaila Nassam Adam from Ghana has been appointed as the match commissioner, with Issaka Boubacar of Niger serving as the referee assessor.

Nigeria’s Mayowa Akingbemisilu will handle the role of broadcast venue manager.

Interestingly, Nkhakananga comes into the spotlight following a controversial suspension in 2023.

The Malawian referee was banned for four months due to poor officiating during the Airtel Top 8 Cup match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers.

His errors included failing to properly restart play and allowing a goal from a dead ball, leading to chaos and the eventual abandonment of the game.

Despite this blot on his CV, CAF has assigned Nkhakananga to oversee his first-ever match involving Nigeria or Libya.

https://twitter.com/NGSuperEagles/status/1842887445852901748

The Super Eagles currently lead Group D with four points from two games, having defeated Benin 3-0 and drawn 0-0 with Rwanda.

Nigeria will be eager to extend their dominance in the group with back-to-back matches against Libya as they edge closer to the AFCON 2025 qualification.