Delving into the decades-long 'Jollof Derby' between Nigeria and Ghana

Tunde Abdulsalam

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen (L) vies with Ghana's Daniel Amartey during the sides' last clash in 2022AFP

Ahead of Nigeria and Ghana's clash in an international friendly on Friday, let's dive into the history of one of Africa's more iconic rivalries.

The historic rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana, known as the 'Jollof Derby', is set to be reignited. The highly anticipated match promises to rekindle memories of the storied encounters between the fierce rivals over the years. They will face off on Friday, March 22nd at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.

The game will help the teams prepare for their encounters in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifying campaign in the first week of June.

In their last 19 meetings over the past 40 years, Nigeria has emerged victorious seven times, Ghana has claimed five wins and seven matches have ended in draws.

As excitement builds for their upcoming encounter, Flashscore provides a detailed analysis of these past games, offering valuable insights into the teams' head-to-head history.

1984 AFCON (March 5th): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2

Nigeria battled Ghana in the opening game of Group B at the 1984 African Cup of Nations at the Stade Municipal in Bouake, Ivory Coast.

Nigeria struck first as Henry Nwosu opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Ghana responded quickly with an equalizer from Samuel Opoku just six minutes later.

However, Nigeria wouldn't be denied as Chibuzor Ehilegu found the net a few minutes before halftime, securing a hard-fought victory for the Green Eagles.

Nigeria finished second in the tournament after losing in the final to Cameroon in an epic clash that ended 3-1.

1986 Friendly (July 27th): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0

Two years after falling to Nigeria at the African Nations Cup, Ghana exacted their revenge in a July 27th, 1986 international friendly. The Black Stars emerged victorious against the Super Eagles, settling the score from their previous encounter.

1992 AFCON (January 23rd): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1

Ghana and Nigeria's rivalry extended to the 18th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. These West African giants met once more in the semi-finals held at Stade de l'Amitie in Dakar. Following their previous encounter, Ghana emerged victorious yet again.

Nigeria struck first with Mutiu Adepoju putting them ahead in the 11th minute. However, Ghana clawed their way back in the second half. Abedi Pele equalized in the 43rd minute, and Prince Polley secured the win for Ghana with a goal in the 54th minute.

Ghana secured a runner-up finish in the championship, while Nigeria claimed the bronze medal. Notably, Nigerian forward Rashidi Yekini emerged as the tournament's top scorer, bagging an impressive four goals and taking home the Golden Boot award.

2002 AFCON (February 3rd): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1

The legendary Jollof Derby rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana reached scorching temperatures at the 2002 African Cup of Nations. These West African giants clashed once again, this time in a high-pressure quarter-final match held in Mali.

A solitary strike by Garba Lawal at Stade du 26 Mars stadium in Bamako proved decisive for Nigeria. Lawal's goal in the quarter-final clash against Ghana propelled the Super Eagles to the 2002 African Cup of Nations semi-finals.

2010 AFCON (January 28th): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0

The passion of the Jollof Derby reignited on January 28th, 2010, as Nigeria and Ghana met once again in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. This high-stakes encounter promised another thrilling chapter in their storied rivalry.

Ghana emerged victorious in their 2010 AFCON semi-final clash against Nigeria. Asamoah Gyan's goal in the 21st minute secured the win for the Black Stars at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Angola. With the victory, Ghana advanced to the final and won the silver medal while Nigeria claimed the bronze medal.

2022 WC Qualifier (March): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

The most recent battle in the Jollof Derby (aside from African Nations Championship meetings) was a thrilling World Cup qualifier playoff between Ghana and Nigeria in 2022, decided over two legs.

Ghana secured a dramatic qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after holding Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the playoff tie.

The first leg in Kumasi ended goalless, but Ghana grabbed a vital away goal early in Abuja through Thomas Partey in the 10th minute. Nigeria responded with a penalty converted by William Troost-Ekong in the 22nd minute.

Despite conceding, Ghana held on valiantly to secure qualification on away goals, returning to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2014.