NAIROBI — Nigeria is poised to return to the heart of African football administration after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the country’s bid to host the 2026 CAF Awards and the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following a high-level meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, held on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi. The delegation included Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and NFF President Ibrahim Gusau.
The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is slated for October 2026, while the specific date for the glitzy CAF Awards — often dubbed the “African Football Oscars” — will be confirmed by the continental body at a later date.
This hosting rights victory ends a nearly decade-long hiatus for Nigeria. The country last hosted the CAF Awards in January 2017 at the International Conference Centre in Abuja. Prior to that, Nigeria established itself as a preferred destination for the event, hosting five editions between 2005 and 2016 in cities like Lagos and Abuja.
The General Assembly’s return is even more significant, as the gathering of the 54 member associations last took place on Nigerian soil in February 2009.
Nigeria is not just a frequent host but also the most successful nation in the history of the awards, particularly in the women’s categories. Nigerian icons have dominated the podium since the inception of the current format in 1992, with the Women’s Player of the Year Award scooped by Mercy Akide (2001), Perpetua Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010, 2011), Cynthia Uwak (2006, 2007), and Asisat Oshoala (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023).
In the men’s category, the likes of the late Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amunike (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997), Victor Osimhen (2023), and most recently Ademola Lookman (2024), have also made their mark as Men’s Player of the Year.
Seasoned tacticians such as Shaibu Amodu (2001), Kadiri Ikhana (2003), Okey Emordi (2004), Yemi Tella (2007), and Stephen Keshi (2013) have been named Coach of the Year.
By securing these events, Nigeria breaks a four-year hosting streak by Morocco, which staged the ceremony from 2022 through 2025. NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, noted that the return of the awards to Nigeria signifies a “renaissance of the country’s influence” in continental football.
The double-header of the General Assembly in October and the subsequent Awards ceremony is expected to bring a significant boost to Nigeria’s sports tourism, following recent confirmations that the country will also host the inaugural African Nations League in 2029.
