Nigeria will compete in the 2014 African Nations Championship qualifiers after reversing their decision to opt out of the tournament for locally-based players.

The Nigerian Football federation announced in April it was withdrawing the team from the qualifiers in order to cut costs.

But the West Africans will now play Ivory Coast in a two-legged qualifier in Calabar in June for a place in next year's finals in South Africa.

"The team will play in the CHAN qualifiers," NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport on Wednesday.

Kenya's Harambee Stars exited the 2014 African Nations Championships qualifiers at the preliminary stages for the second consecutive time after a barren draw at home to Burundi's Swallows on Sunday.

This result coupled with a solitary goal defeat the Kenyans suffered against the same opposition in the first leg of this duel staged in Bujumbura a fortnight ago, saw the tiny East African nation progress to the next qualifying phase and book a date against Sudan after the 1-0 aggregate advantage.

The encounter played before a capacity crowd at the 40,000 seater Nyayo Stadium that included Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba, started on a fast paced note with the two sides trading attacking moves in the first ten minutes.

Stars caretaker coach James Nandwa has recalled Sony Sugar forward Enock Agwanda and Tusker FC midfielder Peter Opiyo ahead of the return leg of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifier against Burundi.

Confirming the duo’s return to the national team, Nandwa said that his strategy going into the return match is to get goals very early in the match, hence the decision to give power to the attack force.

“We are aware that we need to win the match with at least two goals for us to proceed to the next stage and we can only achieve this by making sure we score early in the return match. It is because of this that I decided to call the two players to the team, as this will increase the pool of players from which I can pick to start,” said Nandwa.

Harambee Stars assistant coach James Nandwa will be incharge of the Kenya team that will face Burundi on Sunday in the CHAN qualifiers.

Nandwa who is in his last assignment steered an unfancied side to the final of the Cecafa tournament in Kampala presided over his new role as he named the 20-man squad.

This comes after Coach Henri Michel threatened to quit due to unpaid salary and failed for training sessions.

“We have chosen Nandwa as the head coach for the CHAN team. He will guide the team in Bujumbura.”

Kenya head coach Henri Michel has released a 20-man squad that will represent the country in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Burundi in Bujumbura on Sunday 16 December.

The return leg of the qualifier will be played in Nairobi on 29 December.

The squad is made up of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and five strikers.

Of the 20, five were selected from the team that recently made the finals of the CECAFA Senior challenge Cup. These players are: David Ochieng, Edwin Lavatsa, Paul Were, Duncan Ochieng and Abdalla Juma.

The Eritrea Football Federation has withdrawn its team from the African Nations Championship tie against neighbours Ethiopia.

The Confederation of African Football has confirmed the decision but gave no reason for the Eritreans withdrawal.

On Tuesday the Ethiopia Football Federation had asked Caf for the qualifiers to be moved to a neutral venue as the neighbouring countries continue to be embroiled in a border row.

On Wednesday 17 Eritrea players claimed asylum in Uganda following the team's elimination from the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

2013 AFCON finalists Ethiopia request CAF for neutral venues for the 2014 CHAN qualifiers against Eritrea.

Ethiopia is scheduled to travel to Eritrea in the first leg during the weekend of January 14 while the return leg is set to be played a fortnight later in Addis Ababa.

Tension currently exists between the two nations over a protracted border dispute spanning over the last 13 years.

“We want the matches to take place, but we're not willing to travel there and it is obvious their government won't allow their team to visit Addis Ababa," said Ethiopian Football Federation spokesman Melaku Ayele told the BBC.

Kenya coach Henri Michel has added three new names to his squad in preparation for next month’s two legged African Championship qualifier against Burundi.

Award-winning Tusker goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch has been recalled, as well as former Thika United defender Michael Bodo and Gor Mahia’s full-back Solomon Nasio.

Oluoch, who has been out of the national team set-up since the arrival of Michel in September, replaced Western Stima’s keeper Ben Roberts Mandela.

It was discovered that Roberts is ineligible to play for Stars as he once featured for the Rwanda national team, whilst plying his trade with APR.

Harambee Stars coach Henri Michel has named a 23-man squad that will represent Kenya in the upcoming CHAN qualifiers against Burundi.

The former French international decided to not participate in the upcoming Cecafa Tusker Cup in Kampala and instead focus on the match against Burundi.

The team is expected to report to camp on December 8, a day before the regional tournament comes to a close.

Kenya’s U23 Coach Francis Nandwa will lead out the team that is comprised on local-based players when Kenya open the tournament against rivals Uganda.

The Council for East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) has been handed a major boost after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) made changes to the dates of the soon to kick-off African Nations Championships (CHAN) competition.

CECAFA secretary general Nicholas Musonye had earlier revealed the regional body’s approach to Caf over a possible shift of dates to avert a clash with the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup tournament in Uganda, with a number of member countries drafted to take part in both competitions.

Challenge Cup action is scheduled to kick-off on Saturday 24 November 2012 and end on Saturday 8 December 2012, while in the new order released by CAF, the first leg of the CHAN qualifiers will be held on the weekend of 14-16 December 2012, with the return matches slated for the weekend of 4-6 January 2013.