John Utaka's hopes of playing for Nigeria in this weekend's Nations Cup qualifier in Lesotho have been hit by a passport snag.

The France-based forward will not be able to play in Sunday's Group 3 clash for the unusual reason that his passport does not have enough free pages.

The Rennes striker applied for a South African visa last week but the consulate turned down his request because there was no space in his passport to attach the visa.

The Super Eagles are training in Johannesburg before leaving for the Basuthu capital Maseru on Friday.

"I applied for the South Africa visa and was asked to come up with a new passport because my existing one is fully stamped," the 24-year-old told BBC Sport.

"I travelled to the Nigerian Embassy in Paris to get a new one but was told that the machine that produces it has been broken for two months."

"I doubt I can travel to either South Africa or Lesotho because they told me they do not know when the machine will work again."

Utaka missed Nigeria's 2-0 win over Niger last month, which sent the Super Eagles second in their group on goal difference, because of injury.

"This situation could have been avoided but I did not travel to Nigeria last month due to my rehabilitation," added the non-flying Super Eagle.

"I have called around but since the machine doesn't work, there is nothing anyone can do about it."

Utaka is not the only high-profile Nigerian to have suffered passport problems in recent years.

In 2005, Joseph Enakarhire, playing for Dynamo Moscow at the time, could not renew his passport because the Nigerian Embassy in Russia said it was not in a position to do so.

In the same month, passport problems stranded Taribo West in Italy.

Meanwhile, another France-based Nigerian, Osaze Odemwingie, has ruled himself out of Sunday's match.

Odemwingie believes he will not recover in time from a groin injury sustained in Lille's 1-0 win over Nice last weekend.

"I'm disappointed that I cannot travel to Lesotho for this crucial game," the forward told BBC Sport.

"It would be stupid to travel all the way knowing deep down that I cannot give my all as I'm not in a perfect physical condition."