The Super Eagles of Nigeria delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday evening, defeating the Benin Republic 4–0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo to secure their place in the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Star striker Victor Osimhen was the hero of the night, netting a sensational hat-trick to lead the team to victory and move up Nigeria’s all-time goalscoring chart. The Napoli forward now has 29 goals in 43 appearances, surpassing several Nigerian legends and closing in on Rashidi Yekini’s record of 37 goals in 62 matches — a milestone that has stood for more than two decades.
Osimhen opened the scoring just three minutes into the encounter after a brilliant assist from Samuel Chukwueze. He doubled the advantage in the 37th minute with a commanding header and completed his hat-trick early in the second half, converting a Moses Simon free-kick.
Substitute Frank Onyeka added the fourth goal in stoppage time to seal a comprehensive win for Nigeria, reigniting fans’ optimism after an inconsistent qualifying campaign.
With his latest treble, Osimhen has now solidified his status as one of Nigeria’s most prolific forwards and is on course to challenge Yekini’s long-standing record.
Below is the updated list of Nigeria’s all-time top goalscorers as of October 2025:
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Rashidi Yekini — 37 goals (62 games)
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Victor Osimhen — 29 goals (43 games)
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Segun Odegbami — 23 goals (46 games)
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Yakubu Aiyegbeni — 21 goals (57 games)
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Ikechukwu Uche — 19 goals (46 games)
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Obafemi Martins — 18 goals (48 games)
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Sunday Oyarekhua — 17 goals (28 games)
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Samson Siasia — 16 goals (51 games)
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Odion Ighalo — 16 goals (37 games)
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Ahmed Musa — 16 goals (109 games)
