The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that a Cameroonian officiating team will handle Nigeria’s crucial Round of 16 match against Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Leading the refereeing crew is 29-year-old Abdou Abdel Mefir, who holds the distinction of being the youngest official at this year’s AFCON. He will be assisted by fellow Cameroonians Elvis Noupoue and Carine Atezambong, who have been appointed as assistant referees for the fixture.
The knockout showdown is scheduled for Monday at Morocco’s Complexe Sportif de Fès, with kick-off set for 8:00pm Nigerian time.
This fixture marks only the second AFCON meeting between Nigeria and Mozambique. Their previous encounter took place during the 2010 tournament in Angola, when the Super Eagles secured a comfortable 3–0 victory over the Mozambicans.
As the tournament reaches its decisive stages, former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has reminded fans and players alike that knockout football demands results above all else. On his podcast, Oliseh emphasised that discipline and defensive solidity now take priority over style or flair.
“This is the Round of 16, and once you lose, you’re out,” Oliseh said. “How well you play is secondary now. The most important thing is the result, and Nigeria must prioritize defensive solidity.”
Nigeria enters the last-16 clash in impressive form, having won all three group-stage games to become the only team at AFCON 2025 with a perfect record so far.
Under head coach Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles scored eight goals while conceding four during the group phase, showcasing both attacking prowess and the need for defensive focus as they face stronger opposition in the knockout rounds.
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