Arthur Okonkwo says he is prepared to take his opportunity if selected to start for Nigeria against Madagascar in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper, who is on loan at Charlton Athletic, was speaking from the Super Eagles camp in Uyo as the squad continued preparations for Friday’s match.
Nigeria will face Madagascar on the 25th of September before playing Guinea-Bissau four days later. The fixtures will also give Okonkwo the chance to compete for the number-one shirt.
The goalkeeper was praised by Charlton manager Nathan Jones after joining the club. Jones described him as having an “excellent pedigree” and recalled that “he made two world class saves against us last season”.
Okonkwo is 6ft 6in and has been noted for his commanding presence and shot-stopping ability. He has also spoken positively about the atmosphere within the Nigeria camp as the team prepares to begin its qualifying campaign.
His immediate target is to help Nigeria make a good start, with victory and a clean sheet his preferred outcome.
Okonkwo’s club career
Born in Camden to Nigerian parents, Okonkwo began playing at Hampstead Academy and Lindus Park before joining the Arsenal Academy in 2009, aged eight.
He spent 12 years with Arsenal and signed his first professional contract in 2021, although he did not make a senior appearance for the club.
Okonkwo made 23 appearances during a loan spell with Crewe Alexandra in 2022-23. He then joined Sturm Graz on loan in 2023, making 15 appearances and winning the Austrian Cup.
His next move took him to Wrexham, initially on loan in 2023-2024 before completing a permanent transfer in June 2024. He played 72 times for the club and was a key member of the side that secured back-to-back promotions.
Okonkwo joined Charlton Athletic on loan for the 2026/27 season on 20th August as the club’s eighth summer signing. He has made seven appearances so far.
From England youth teams to Nigeria
At international level, Okonkwo represented England at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 level before switching allegiance to Nigeria in 2026.
He made his Super Eagles debut during Nigeria’s Unity Cup triumph at The Valley earlier this summer. The goalkeeper kept two clean sheets during the tournament and is now seeking to build on that start as Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign gets under way.