By Oluwashina Okeleji BBC Sport, Nigeria

Kadiri Ikhana quit Kano Pillars after leading them to the Nigerian title

Former Ghana international Malik Jabir has been unveiled as the new coach of Nigerian champions Kano Pillars.

The former Asante Kotoko coach has been given a one year contract as he replaces Kadiri Ikhana, who resigned at the end of last season.

"He has a massive void to fill and we are confident he will take this club to another height," club chairman Tukur Babangida told BBC Sport on Wednesday.

"We interviewed other coaches but we believe in his ambition and dreams.

"He will not lack the necessary support to enable him to achieve his aims and objectives."

Jabir's main task is to make the club a force on the continent.

They have already qualified for next year's African Champions League, after Pillars clinched their first-ever Nigerian league title on the final day of last season.

"He must win the league again and also get us into the group phase of the Champions League, to earn an additional year's contract," Babangida added.

He was in charge of Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko between 2005 and 2006 and had a brief spell with ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso.

The coach who led Kano Pillars to the title, Ikhana, decided to quit the game in the country because of what he alleged was a "corrupt system."

Ikhana, who also coached Nigeria's Enyimba to African Champions League success in 2003, said he did not want to be involved in Nigeria football anymore.

But after the Nigeria Sports commission set up an investigation into the allegation, Ikhana had a change of heart and is now in charge of Sharks in Port Harcourt.