Ahmed Musa was the match winner as Nigeria pipped hosts Kenya 1-0 on Wednesday to stay on track for a place at the 2014 World Cup.
This was coach Stephen Keshi’s first away win in a competitive game.
African champions Nigeria now have eight points from four matches to lead Group F ahead of Malawi, who are on six points after they were held to a goalless draw in Blantyre also on Wednesday by third-placed Namibia.
Nigeria will be guests of Namibia next Wednesday, while Malawi host Kenya in continuation of the qualifying tournament.
The final round of the qualifiers in this group will be staged in September, when Nigeria host Malawi and Kenya are home to Namibia.
CSKA Moscow forward Musa was hero for the Super Eagles as he scored the match winner at the Moi International Stadium in the Kasarani, Nairobi.
The Russia double champion slipped past a Kenya defender on top of the box before he chipped the ball past onrushing Kenya goalkeeper Duncan Ochieng in the 81st minute.
The Jos-born star thus made up for an earlier miss with this superb strike.
In the game was watch by a capacity crowd, Brown Ideye ought to have given the Eagles the lead as a early as the seventh minute after a defensive slip by Kenya, but his finishing was wayward.
Nnamdi Oduamadi was also clear on goal at the restart but his shot from inside the box when one-on-one with goalkeeper Ochieng was blocked to safety.
With Mikel Obi combining well with Ogenyi Onazi in the midfield, Nigeria kept up the pressure in the second half.
After Ahmed Musa’s goal, Kenya fought back for an equaliser but the defence marshalled by skipper Vincent Enyeama held out to post a clean sheet.
