After a goalless draw in the first leg in Accra, Daniel Ogunmodede’s side defeated the Black Galaxies 3-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
First-half goals from Sodiq Ismail, Nduka Junior, and Savior Isaac gave the Super Eagles a commanding 3-0 lead, but the visitors narrowed the margin with Stephen Amenkona’s 73rd-minute strike.
The result marked Nigeria’s return to the competition after missing the last two editions, and the Nigeria Premier Football League legend expressed his delight at the achievement.
"Qualifying for the competition is a significant relief for the country, as missing the last three editions was a setback for the Nigeria Professional Football League.
"It deprived us of the opportunity to showcase the best talents from our local league," Abe told Flashscore.
"The victory was even sweeter because it came against Ghana, making it a fitting revenge. They had previously denied us a spot in the last edition held in Algeria.
"They also blocked the Super Eagles from qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Credit must go to the technical team for assembling such a solid squad in just a few weeks, and to the players for their dedication and unwavering never-say-die attitude.
"Honestly, the Nigeria Football Federation also deserves commendation for providing the enabling environment.
"Trust me, our league has quality, and with the right support and motivation for the players, we will continue to see their best performances consistently."
Nigeria’s last appearance at the biennial African showpiece was in 2018, where they were defeated 4-0 in the final by hosts Morocco at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, with Zakaria Hadraf scoring a brace.
Ahead of the draw ceremony scheduled for the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football, Abe is confident about the country’s chances of winning the tournament for the first time.
"I don’t usually make predictions, but based on how our boys played against Ghana, we are strong contenders to win the competition, with all due respect to the other teams that have qualified," he continued
"If the team receives proper preparation and adequate motivation, we have what it takes to win it for the first time.
"The players are eager to break into the main Super Eagles squad, and their performance in the tournament will play a crucial role in determining when that opportunity will come.
"Another factor that makes us a strong candidate for the title is the fact that teams like Libya, who have a strong track record in CHAN, have pulled out. This opportunity is now ours to lose."
Ibrahim Musa Gusau, president of the Nigeria Football Federation, recently assured Nigerians that the football governing body will properly prepare the country's national teams to deliver in 2025.
"The era of Nigerian teams arriving at major championships just to participate is gone," he said in a statement made available to Flashscore.
"Our objective now is to ensure that our teams can strongly contend for honours anywhere, and that can only be done by preparing the teams well ahead of qualifiers and competitions.
"I personally insisted that the Super Eagles B start their camping early enough and the result is what we can see in their display against Ghana.
"The team has just one month to go before the CHAN tournament. That means they must go into camp immediately, and we will ensure that."
Former African champions DR Congo, Libya, and Egypt will not be participating in the competition after failing to compete in the qualifiers due to various reasons.
2024 CHAN, featuring national teams made up of players currently playing in their respective local leagues, will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from February 1st to 28th, 2025. This will be the first edition to be hosted by three countries.
