Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie have emerged as Nigeria’s standout contenders on the final shortlist for the prestigious CAF Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories. The Super Eagles and Super Falcons also secured nominations for Team of the Year.
Ademola Lookman Shines for Atalanta and Nigeria
Lookman, who plays for Atalanta in Serie A, had an incredible season, notably scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final, leading his team to victory. On the international stage, Lookman was pivotal for the Super Eagles, contributing to their impressive run to the AFCON 2023 final, where they narrowly lost to Côte d’Ivoire.
Lookman is up against fierce competition, including Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Côte d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra, and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi.
Chiamaka Nnadozie Eyes Double Wins
Paris FC goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is vying for two awards: Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Keeper of the Year. Having delivered stellar performances for club and country, she is in contention alongside Zambia’s Babra Banda and Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy.
Team of the Year Finalists
The Super Eagles are competing with South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire for Male Team of the Year after qualifying for the 2025 AFCON. Meanwhile, the Super Falcons are shortlisted for Women’s Team of the Year alongside South Africa and Morocco.
Other Nigerian Nominees
• Chiamaka Okwuchukwu: The Falconets forward is a finalist for Women’s Young Player of the Year after a strong showing in the FIFA U-20 Women’s Cup.
• Edo Queens: Representing Nigeria in the Women’s Club of the Year category, Edo Queens will face TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Asfar (Morocco).
The CAF Awards ceremony will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday. Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala are favorites to clinch the CAF Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year awards, respectively.
