The Director General of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has dismissed reports linking Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle with a possible move away from Nigeria amid alleged interest from Tunisia, Gabon and Angola.
Chelle has come under the spotlight following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. With less than a year remaining on his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), speculation has grown over the Malian coach’s future. However, Olopade insisted that Chelle remains committed to the Super Eagles and is not considering an exit.
“Eric Chelle is not going anywhere. The countries claiming interest in him do not have the kind of superstars that make his job easier,” Olopade said. He attributed Chelle’s success with Nigeria to the quality of players at his disposal, noting that they provided the right tools to effectively implement his football philosophy.
“We must not forget that Eric thrived because he had the right equipment and instruments — the quality personnel he used to execute his ideas,” he added.
Olopade also disclosed that he maintains a close working relationship with the coach and that discussions regarding Chelle’s future are ongoing at the highest level.
“I had dinner with him two days ago at my house in Abuja. I’m not the NFF president, but we operate a collaborative system, and Eric Chelle has become both a brother and a friend. That same night, I spoke with the NFF president, and hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday, we will all sit down together,” Olopade told Footy-Africa.
