Nigeria have appeared in the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on twenty occasions. Nigeria has won the cup three times: the first time was in 1980[1][2] and they won a second title in the 1994,[3][4] held in Tunisia.
Nigeria won their third African title in 2013,[5][6][7] held in South Africa.
Africa Cup of Nations
| Africa Cup of Nations record | Africa Cup of Nations qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | ||
 1957 |
Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||||||||||
 1959
| |||||||||||||||||
 1962 |
Withdrew | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||
 1963 |
Group stage | 6th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 | Squad | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
 1965 |
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||||
| 1968 |
Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1970 |
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||||
 1972 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
 1974
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | |||||||||||
 1976 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 | Squad | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||
 1978 |
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | ||
 1980
|
Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | |||||||
 1982 |
Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Squad | Qualified as holders | |||||||
 1984
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 | Squad | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
 1986 |
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||
 1988
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | ||
 1990
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | ||
 1992 |
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | Squad | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 3 | ||
| 1994
|
Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | Squad | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 1 | ||
 1996 |
Withdrew | Qualified as holders | |||||||||||||||
 1998 |
Banned | Banned | |||||||||||||||
| 2000
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | |||||||
 2002 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | ||
 2004 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2006 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | Squad | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 7 | ||
| 2008 |
Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Squad | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | ||
 2010 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | Squad | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 5 | ||
  2012 |
Did not qualify | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2013
|
Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | ||
| 2015 |
Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 2017
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2019 |
Third place | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 6 | ||
 2021 |
Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 7 | ||
| 2023 |
Qualified | In progress | |||||||||||||||
| 2025 |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
   2027
| |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 3 Titles | 20/36 | 97 | 53 | 22 | 22 | 137 | 91 | — | 120 | 62 | 39 | 19 | 199 | 89 | ||
- *Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via a penalty shoot-out.
- **Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.
References
- ^ Oluwalowo, ’Tosin (March 21, 2020). "We drank wine, partied till 2am –1980 AFCON heroes recount historic feat".
- ^ Ezekute, Nnamdi (March 21, 2020). "INTERVIEW: Chukwu Speaks On 1980 AFCON Win 40 Years After; The Joy, Regrets, Family". Complete Sports.
- ^ Eludini, Tunde (June 17, 2021). "Remembering Nigeria's AFCON 1994 Super Squad". www.premiumtimesng.com.
- ^ "Watch as Caf relives Nigeria defeat Zambia to win 1994 Africa Cup of Nations | Goal.com". Goal. April 10, 2020.
- ^ "Nigeria's last AFCON winning team - Who were the players and where are they now? | Goal.com India". www.goal.com. January 5, 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria are African champions – DW – 02/10/2013". dw.com.
- ^ "Third African soccer title for Nigeria". CNN. February 10, 2013.