President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host two major African football events — the 2026 CAF Awards and the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The approval was confirmed in a statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday, following a high-level meeting held during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
According to the NFF, the decision followed discussions between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, as Nigeria intensified efforts to strengthen its role in African football administration and event hosting.
Several top officials were present at the meeting, including Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; NFF President Ibrahim Gusau; former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Pinnick; as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
In its statement, the NFF confirmed that the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to take place in October this year, bringing together senior football administrators and decision-makers from across the African continent.
The event is traditionally attended by presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives from the six zonal unions, and other influential football stakeholders responsible for shaping the future of African football.
Alongside the General Assembly, Nigeria is also preparing to host the 2026 CAF Awards, widely regarded as African football’s most prestigious recognition ceremony.
The annual awards event celebrates outstanding achievements in African football, honoring top players, coaches, national teams, clubs, and emerging talents in a high-profile ceremony known for its glamour and continental significance.
The most recent CAF Awards ceremony was held in Rabat, Morocco, on November 19, 2025. At the event, Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi was crowned African Men’s Player of the Year after an exceptional season with Paris Saint-Germain, helping the club secure both the UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 titles.
Hakimi succeeded Ademola Lookman and became the first Moroccan player to win the award since Mustapha Hadji in 1998.
Other major winners included Yassine Bounou, who won Goalkeeper of the Year; Othmane Maamma, named Young Player of the Year; and Ghizlane Chebbak, who claimed Women’s Player of the Year. Despite Morocco’s dominance, Nigeria maintained a strong presence in the women’s categories.
Chiamaka Nnadozie successfully defended her Goalkeeper of the Year title, while the Nigeria women’s national football team won National Team of the Year following another impressive campaign.
Nigeria has a strong history of hosting the CAF Awards, having staged the event on four previous occasions. The most recent edition hosted by Nigeria took place in January 2015 at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.
That year, Ivorian football legend Yaya Touré won his fourth consecutive African Player of the Year award, matching the record previously set by Samuel Eto’o.
The 2015 ceremony also marked the beginning of Asisat Oshoala’s historic dominance in African women’s football, as she claimed the first of what would later become a record six Women’s Player of the Year awards.
With Nigeria now preparing to host both the CAF Awards and General Assembly once again, the decision is being viewed as a major boost for the country’s sporting profile and influence within African football governance.
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