Top Nigeria officials have expressed confidence the country will meet a January 9 deadline for the submission of final squads for the Africa Cup of Nations.

It is feared in some quarter that the late arrival of foreign-based players would delay the release of Coach Stephen Keshi's final list for the 2013 Nations Cup slated for South Africa.

"We don't have money for late submission. We would invest such money for the team's preparations. Coach Stephen Keshi should by now know the foreign-based players he intends to use," a top official told MTNFootball.com.

"We understand that he would have may be four days to decide after the arrival of his foreign-based players in Faro, but we also think that is enough time for him to make up his mind on his final list," he said.