Taiwo Awoniyi, 26, has been confirmed by Steve Cooper, the Nottingham Forest manager to miss the 2023 AFCON.
The 26-year-old aggravated the groin injury problem playing for Nigeria during the international break and has had an operation on the issue.
Taiwo Awoniyi has scored 4 goals in 10 Premier League appearances for Forest this season.
“We’ll see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery so it will take a little while,” said Cooper.
“It’s bad news on Taiwo, he’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months,” added Cooper.
“We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.
“He’s become an important player for us with the goals he’s scored. He’s such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.
“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger”, continued Cooper.
The AFCON will be played between 13th January – 11th February. Nigeria is in Group A alongside the host, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
