Nigeria have been handed a fitness boost ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho with SC Paderborn defender Jamilu Collins' return to full training, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

The left-back did not suffer an injury as the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by Brazil on October 13 but picked up a flu virus upon his return to Germany.

And as a result of the minor ailment, Collins was omitted from the matchday 18 last weekend as SC Paderborn were thrashed 3-0 by Cologne.

Prior to the meeting against Cologne at RheinEnergieStadion, the Nigeria international had played 51 straight league games for SC Paderborn in the 3 Liga, 2. Bundesliga and Bundesliga.

He netted his maiden goal in the Bundesliga in a 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich on game week six.

Paderborn are the basement team in the German top-flight with only one point from eight games, and face Fortuna Düsseldorf in their next league game on Saturday.

Igho Kingsley