A Former Nigerian international Henry Nwosu has died at the age of 62 after battling a prolonged illness in Lagos.
The former Super Eagles midfielder and key member of Nigeria’s historic 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning team died in the early hours of Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja, Lagos.
He had been in intensive care for five days, battling a prolonged illness.
The news was confirmed by his former teammate and 1980 AFCON hero, Segun Odegbami, who shared an emotional tribute on social media.
Odegbami, who affectionately nicknamed him the “Youngest Millionaire’— a nod to Nwosu being the youngest player in the victorious 1980 squad at 18 wrote:
After 5 days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 am this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos where he had been in Intensive Care since Wednesday.
It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven.
The legend was born on June 14, 1963, in Imo State, Henry Onyemanze Nwosu rose to prominence as one of Nigeria’s most gifted and creative midfielders of the 1980s.
Known for his exceptional dribbling, vision, technical finesse, and tactical intelligence, he played a role in the Green Eagles’ triumph at the 1980 AFCON on home soil, Nigeria’s first continental title.
Nwosu represented Nigeria in multiple major tournaments, including the 1982, 1984 and 1988 runners-up editions of the AFCON.
He also featured at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where he scored the nation’s lone goal in the competition.
His international career spanned from 1980 to 1991, with around 60 caps and eight goals for the senior national team.
At the club level, he starred for domestic sides such as New Nigeria Bank FC and ACB Lagos, showing the same flair that made him a fan favorite.
After hanging his boots in the early 1990s, Nwosu transitioned into coaching.
His death comes as a double blow to Nigerian football, arriving just five days after the passing of former Super Eagles coach Festus Adegboye Onigbinde on March 9, 2026, at age 88. Both men were towering figures in the nation’s sporting history.
Henry Nwosu was honored with the national award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) for his services to the country.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
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