Nigerian football stars Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie have been shortlisted for the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, as revealed on Thursday.
Lookman, a key figure for Atalanta in Italy’s Serie A, had an outstanding season, including a Europa League hat-trick that helped his club secure the title.
He also played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ journey to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, where they narrowly lost to Cote d’Ivoire.
Lookman’s stellar performances earned him a spot in the Team of the Tournament, and he will compete for the men’s prize against South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and Cote d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra.
Nnadozie, the Paris FC goalkeeper, is chasing two honors. In addition to vying for the Women’s Player of the Year award, where she faces Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Babra Banda, she is also the frontrunner to retain the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year title.
The Super Eagles, who were AFCON runners-up and have qualified for the 2025 tournament, are nominated for the Men’s Team of the Year, competing against Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa. Similarly, the Super Falcons are finalists for the Women’s Team of the Year alongside South Africa and Morocco.
In the youth category, Falconets star Chiamaka Okwuchukwu is in contention for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.
Okwuchukwu, who plays for Rivers Angels, was a standout performer at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, contributing two goals and an assist as Nigeria reached the round of 16.
Nigeria’s Edo Queens also earned recognition, making the shortlist for the Women’s Club of the Year award. The competition includes Morocco’s Asfar and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe.
The CAF Awards ceremony will take place on Monday in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Nigeria will be looking to retain its dominance, with Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala currently holding the titles for CAF Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year.