Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry The Ghana–Nigeria football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists between the national football teams of Ghana and Nigeria, as well as their respective sets of fans. The sport has been played since prior to both countries' respective independence, and the match-up is among the oldest and most proliferate rivalries in African football. The football competition reflects the long-standing socio-economic rivalry between the two nations, which are two of the five Anglophone nations in West Africa and home to the largest populations in the region. FIFA lists the first official match between the two as a World
Ghana–Nigeria relations to Ghana after Ghana became the first independent country in the region in 1957. Also in the late 70s many Ghanaians moved to Nigeria as economic migrants. The relationship became sour for various reasons. Thus, under former Ghanaian president Busia's Aliens Compliance Order, Nigerians among other immigrants were forced to leave Ghana as they made up a significant percentage of Ghana's large undocumented population. The official reason for deportation was failing to comply with the immigration laws of the country. In 1983, Nigeria retaliated and deported up to 1 million Ghanaian and other African immigrants when Ghana was facing severe