President Bola Tinubu has thrown his full support behind Nigeria’s bid to host the 2026 CAF Awards, strengthening the country’s push to stage two of African football’s biggest upcoming events.
The endorsement was disclosed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in a statement on May 12, 2026, confirming that Nigeria has also secured presidential backing for its proposal to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly later this year.
According to the report, Tinubu made the announcement during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi after a meeting with Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Patrice Motsepe.
Also present at the high-level engagement were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, CAF Acting General Secretary, Samson Adamu, NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau, and former NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick.
Nigeria last hosted the CAF Awards on January 6, 2017, a ceremony that saw Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez crowned men’s Player of the Year, while Super Falcons star, Asisat Oshoala claimed the women’s award.
The CAF Awards remain one of the continent’s most prestigious football events, honouring top players, coaches, and contributors to the game across Africa.
The 2025 edition was staged in Rabat, Morocco, where Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Ghizlane Chebbak emerged winners in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.
In recent years, Nigerian stars have maintained strong presence at the awards, with Victor Osimhen winning in 2023 and Ademola Lookman clinching the 2024 men’s Player of the Year title. Oshoala also extended her dominance in the women’s category, adding to her record haul.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, will bring together leaders of all 54 CAF member associations, zonal union representatives, and top football administrators across the continent.
CAF is expected to announce the final host cities for both the Awards and the General Assembly in the coming months.
