Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has revealed his desire to win the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria as he prepares for a potential competitive debut with the Super Eagles, Footynaija.com reports.
The 24-year-old has become an important figure for Charlton since joining the Championship club on a season-long loan from Wrexham in August, having moved in search of regular first-team football.
Okonkwo has quickly established himself as manager Nathan Jones’ first-choice goalkeeper and has kept three clean sheets in his opening seven league appearances, including consecutive shutouts against Queens Park Rangers and Portsmouth.
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His club form has now been followed by another opportunity on the international stage, with the goalkeeper included in Eric Chelle’s squad for Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Okonkwo made his Super Eagles debut against Zimbabwe at the Unity Cup in May before featuring in the squad for the international friendlies against Poland and Portugal in June.
He could now make his first competitive appearance for Nigeria when the Super Eagles face Madagascar in Uyo on Friday, with the goalkeeper already setting his sights beyond the immediate fixtures.
“I want to win the AFCON and compete at the World Cup. That’s one of my biggest ambitions as a footballer,” Okonkwo said, per quotes revealed by Complete Sports.
The former Arsenal academy goalkeeper is also keen to make the most of his time around the senior players as he continues to establish himself within the Super Eagles setup.
“At the moment, it’s still early. I want to learn from everyone and learn new things. The previous camp was good for me,” he added.
“I want to take things in my stride, keep learning, keep improving, and hopefully one day contribute positively to the Super Eagles.”
With Nigeria beginning another AFCON qualifying campaign, Okonkwo will hope his strong start to life at Charlton can translate into a bigger role for the three-time African champions.
