One week after the Super Eagles left Morocco with another bronze medal, impressing fans and foes alike, a review is quietly going on in official circles.
With a record number of goals scored, a defence unbreached for four knockout games after the group phase, the Super Eagles showed that they were no longer the confused bunch who stumbled from one game to another in FIFA World Cup qualifying.
But what lessons can they learn from their AFCON adventure?
Solution found to Osimhen question
One of the biggest questions Nigeria had coming off the World Cup qualifiers was the heavy reliance on Victor Osimhen and whether the team could function effectively without the striker and provide him with an effective partnership to deliver goals.
Despite what appeared to be an abundance of attacking talent, the Super Eagles had struggled with creating and finishing opportunities.
Such was the severity of the situation that at the last AFCON, former coach Jose Peseiro opted to set his team up on a defence-first foundation. The strategy worked, propelling the Super Eagles to the final before they came apart and lost to hosts Ivory Coast.
Eric Sekou Chelle's appointment changed all that. After trying with multiple strike partners for Osimhen, Chelle appeared to have found a solution with Tolu Arokodare during the Unity Cup, but that did not last long.
It was not until Akor Adams was added to the mix that things really took off. And then fortune played its part. Ademola Lookman, whose form had taken a dive following his transfer transfer disagreement with Atalanta, returned to form.
That threesome clicked into gear during the tournament, accounting for nine of Nigeria's 14 goals with Lookman picking up a tournament leading four assists.
Beyond the numbers, their constant movement and positioning left the opposition flailing, and was the major reason for their tournament and team-record 14 goals -- the highest ever by a Super Eagles team.
The frontline functions more efficiently with Lookman at the tip of the diamond, and with the two forwards rotating in their movements and minimal touches. Osimhen's aerial strength remains key, along with Lookman's technical ability. If there is a weakness, it is Adams' touch and finishing. But those can be sorted.
Even substitute Paul Onuachu, who deputised for Osimhen, looked markedly improved.
Defence is set with Bassey the new leader
Even if he was no longer a starter by the time he announced his retirement, William Troost-Ekong's departure was still expected to leave a gaping hold in the Nigeria defence, mostly for his leadership and his value as an impact sub.
Things were made even worse when his replacement Benjamin Fredrick suffered an injury just days before the final squad was released.
Nigeria's defence was in trouble until the tournament started and Calvin Bassey stepped up. The Fulham defender not only proved himself a more than capable replacement, he also stepped up as a leader of the defence, doing his job with resolute stoutness.
But he was not alone. Semi Ajayi was just as impressive, and on the face of his AFCON display, it is a wonder he is still playing in the English Championship. If he was four or five years younger, he probably would be earning a move to the English Premier League or any of the other top leagues in Europe. And who is to say it still can't happen?
As for Bright Osayi-Samuel, there were those who were concerned about how he would fare in the absence of Ola Aina and Fredrick -- both were ahead of him in the depth chart.
Whatever those doubts were, he not only swiftly dispelled them, but made sure that those two would have to knock him off that perch. It is a travesty that he missed out on a place in the team of the tournament to Achraf Hakimi, who was nowhere near as good.
Bruno Onyemaechi started out the tournament as substitute to Zaidu Sanusi, but with the Porto man not at his best, he stepped in, and the rest was history.
With Felix Agu still to come, and Ryan Alebiosu proving himself at right back, defence seems well set for at least the next year or two.
Oh, and there is also goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali who also had questions to answer about his temperament. Not only did he answer them, he passed with flying colours.
Youngsters and newbies need opportunities
If there was one big disappointment from Chelle's tournament strategy, it was that there was not enough seen of youngster Tochukwu Nnadi, and none at all of promising prospect Ebenezer Akinsanmiro
Nnadi saw game time in the final group game against Uganda, when the coach made wholesale changes to his starting team, but brought him on as a late substitute. The youngster showed discipline, great ball protection and never looked out of place or intimidated by the occasion.
With Wilfred Ndidi's suspension for the semifinal, there was some expectation that perhaps he would see a few more minutes, but it never happened. Ndidi proved that, contrary to what had become popular opinion, he remains important. Raphael Onyedika and Frank Onyeka can and have filled in. For the diamond to work, Chelle needs a pure high level DM, and that means Nnadi must be monitored, supported and groomed for the long term.
Akinsanmiro, for his part, never saw any action at all, despite being one of the more promising prospects in the squad, which came as a bit of a surprise. The same could also be said of Salim Fago. Although with Osimhen, Onuachu and Lookman playing so well, it was not that much of a surprise.
Not as much of a surprise, though, was the non involvement of Usman Mohammed. Being on the wrong side of 30, Usman's selection came from left field for many Nigerians. Since playing for Nigeria at cadet level, the midfielder has not had a career worthy of the name, and never previously earned an international cap.
It is just the sort of selection that was not needed, and with the next Nations Cup just a year away, one big takeaway here is that by the time that tournament rolls around, the coach would have had more than enough time to play with, and assess all the personnel he requires, and will not be making any more blind picks who will not contribute.
Chelle requires more trust in plan B
If there is one thing everyone has come to know about Chelle during his short time with Nigeria and throughout this tournament, it is that the 4-4-2 diamond hill is one he is prepared to back time and time again.
Out of the seven games he goverened at the tournament, Chelle only deviated once from starting with that formation. That was in the final group game against Uganda, where he went to a flat 4-4-2, with natural wide players.
Only once more, during the semifinal loss to Morocco, when he switched out during the end to being in some of his penalty takers, did he again make a minor tweak.
With the personnel at his disposal, and how they have played so far, that appears to be his best plan of action.
However, with the likes of Samuel Chukwueze and Simon in his squad, having a a variation in style is not only important to give different looks to the opposition, it is also important to keep his squad happy.
Respect returns, but can Nigeria retain it?
In the last few years, with the Super Eagles' disjointed results against all opposition, big and small, respect for one of Africa's giants plummeted. Where teams in the past were intimidated at the prospect of facing the Eagles, that fear factor had diminished -- the World Cup qualifiers were almost confirmation.
That has changed somewhat after their AFCON performance. Not only were the Super Eagles hard to get behind, especially in the latter stages after they fixed their defensive lapses, they also showed that they could both outmatch weaker opposition for effort, and outplay them with quality.
And for the bigger teams, they showed that they were just as big and with just as much quality to stand as equals, if not superiors.
That is good news for Super Eagles fans, but scary for the opposition. Chelle has made it clear he wants to add more players to his rotation.
Now, it is about keeping that respect, and the one way to do it is on the pitch. Which is why the Nigeria Football Federation must not only keep Chelle, but extend his contract and allow him the freedom to work.