As the prestigious CAF Awards ceremony kicks off today in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed strong support for Nigerian stars Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, who are contenders for the CAF Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
Lookman and Super Falcons goalkeeper, Nnadozie headline Nigeria’s hopes at this year’s CAF Awards, with the nation in contention for seven accolades.
The men’s Player of the Year category sees Lookman in a fierce contest with four other nominees: Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.
On the eve of the event, the NFF issued a statement rallying support for Lookman and Nnadozie. “All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned the African Player of the Year at Monday evening’s 2024 CAF Awards,” said NFF spokesperson Ademola Olajire.
The statement added, “None of the four other nominees comes close. Ivorian Simon Adingra may have helped his team overcome Nigeria in the AFCON final, but he doesn’t match Lookman’s outstanding record with Atalanta.”
Chiamaka Nnadozie is also in contention for two major awards: Women’s Player of the Year, alongside Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Barbra Banda, and Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, a title she aims to retain.
“Nnadozie is a worthy contender,” the NFF noted. “Her remarkable year includes helping Nigeria qualify for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after a 16-year absence and standing out with Paris FC in France.”
Nigeria has a chance to make history, with victories in both Player of the Year categories potentially replicating the 1999 success of Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh and the 2023 double triumph of Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala.
Lookman’s stellar year includes three goals and two assists that propelled Nigeria to the AFCON final, a hat-trick for Atalanta in their UEFA Europa League triumph, and 11 goals with five assists this season across all competitions.
In the women’s category, Nnadozie’s standout performances have been pivotal for the Super Falcons, who are also nominated for the National Team of the Year, alongside Morocco and South Africa.
Additionally, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, star of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, is a finalist for Women’s Young Player of the Year. The 2024 CAF Awards promises to be a night of celebration, with Nigeria poised to make a mark on African football’s biggest stage.
