he started with the team of nigeria in the 1999 african youth championship. the he was captain of the nigerian team at the 1999 fifa world youth championship in nigeria, where they reached the quarter finals. on 17 june 2000, he made his first match in the senior team in a 2002 world cup qualifing match against sierra leone. rabiu afolabi was member of the nigerian team for the 2002 and 2010 world cups.