The Nigerian football team has been restored to international competition – thanks to Facebook comments in support.

The Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan revealed that hundreds of comments left on his Facebook page helped him in his decision to reverse his ban on the national team competing in international competitions.

“I have listened to your voices,” Goodluck Jonathan said in a posting on the social networking site.

He had previously banned the team for two years following their disappointing display in the World Cup in South Africa, and had risked facing a complete ban from FIFA over political interference which is illegal under their rules.

“I read your comments and took them into account in the government’s decision to rescind the suspension of Nigeria from international football,” Mr Jonathan said on Facebook on Tuesday.

The president, who only set up his Facebook page at the beginning of last week – two days before he banned the Super Eagles – has more than 76,000 Facebook followers.

“I had a meeting with the NFF today and conveyed my disappointment and those of Nigerians on this page and received assurances that there will be positive changes,” he said.

“We must now work together to make sure that the NFF and our players do us proud in future events,” he said, ending the message with his initials “GEJ”.

Jon Osterland