Ahead of tonight’s CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has thrown its full support behind Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, who are strong contenders for the coveted Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
Lookman, a star forward for Atalanta, and Super Falcons goalkeeper Nnadozie are leading Nigeria’s quest for glory at the awards, with the nation in contention for seven categories in total.
The men’s Player of the Year category is highly competitive, with Lookman vying against Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.
In a spirited statement, the NFF described Lookman as a standout nominee. NFF spokesperson Ademola Olajire wrote, “All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned the African Player of the Year tonight. None of the other nominees comes close in terms of achievements this year.”
Lookman’s impressive contributions include three goals and two assists in Nigeria’s AFCON 2023 campaign, helping the Super Eagles reach their eighth final.
A hat-trick for Atalanta in their Europa League victory over Bayer Leverkusen in May.
A total of 11 goals and five assists across all competitions this season, including a memorable strike against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
Nnadozie, Nigeria’s reliable goalkeeper, is in contention for two prestigious awards: Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, the latter of which she won last year.
The Paris FC shot-stopper has had a phenomenal year, with key contributions to: Nigeria’s qualification for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after a 16-year absence.
The Super Falcons’ spot in the 2024 AFCON.
A strong showing for Paris FC in the French league, earning widespread praise for her performances.
In addition to individual accolades, Nigeria’s national teams are in contention for National Team of the Year:
Super Eagles: Nominated alongside Ivory Coast (AFCON 2023 champions) and South Africa.
Super Falcons are competing with Morocco and South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.
Furthermore, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu of Rivers Angels and the Falconets is nominated for Women’s Young Player of the Year, following her standout performances in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Edo Queens, Nigeria Women Football League champions, are also finalists for the Women’s Club of the Year award, alongside TP Mazembe and Asfar, the CAF Women’s Champions League winners.
If Lookman and Nnadozie clinch their respective awards, it will mark the third time Nigeria has produced both the men’s and women’s winners in a single year, following similar achievements in 1999 and 2023.
The CAF Awards, celebrating the best of African football, will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakesh, Morocco. Tonight’s event promises to be a landmark moment for Nigerian football as the nation eagerly awaits the results.
