Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare has admitted that he is still short of full fitness ahead of Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Madagascar.

The Ajax forward returned to action from illness on Saturday, coming off the bench to score in the club’s 2-2 draw against Excelsior in the Eredivisie. 

Arokodare, who had missed Ajax’s previous league match against Willem II because of illness, was introduced in the 62nd minute and needed only two minutes to make an impact, scoring the equaliser.

However, despite his immediate contribution, the 25-year-old revealed after the match that he was still feeling the physical effects of his illness.

The striker admitted that his recovery had not progressed as quickly as he had expected and suggested that he was not ready to start the match against Excelsior.

“You could see after five or six minutes that I was hunched over because I was tired. I needed this match to realise that I am not yet 100 per cent fit. I still feel weak,” Arokodare said. 

“I haven’t recovered as much as I thought. I wanted to start, but I don’t think I could have. We had a tactical training session in the morning and my legs were weak. I was dead after five or six minutes into the match.” 

The goal continued Arokodare’s encouraging start to life at Ajax, where he is playing on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His performances have earned him a recall to the Super Eagles for Nigeria’s opening two AFCON 2027 qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. 

Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, September 25, before travelling to Bissau to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.

Arokodare has not featured for the Super Eagles since the team’s encounter with DR Congo in November 2025 and will now have his fitness assessed as he links up with Eric Chelle’s squad.

“I am happy that I was able to come on, though. Hopefully, I will recover fully during the international break,” he added. 

His fitness will be closely monitored by the Super Eagles technical team as Nigeria prepare for the start of their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.

The development comes as Nigeria deal with another fitness concern in attack, with Victor Osimhen ruled out of the September qualifiers and Taiwo Awoniyi subsequently called up as his replacement. 

With the Madagascar encounter approaching, Arokodare’s recovery could therefore become an important consideration for Chelle as he weighs his attacking options for the opening Group L fixture.