Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi believes Ghana are among the three contenders to win 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Chelsea ace has tipped the Super Eagles and Ivory Coast as the teams with the wherewithal to emerge African champions.
Nigeria are making a return after failing to qualify for the 2012 tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Obi says they are in to win the trophy but will face stiff competition from their West African neighbours.
"Nigeria, Of course! Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire will also be up there, but teams like Cape Verde and Zambia could pose major threats," he said.
"If Cape Verde could stop Cameroon, they must have qualities to do so. They therefore need to be taken seriously."