CAF Awards 2024: “We are confident” — NFF

Nigeria stands on the brink of another historic moment in African football as Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie gear up to challenge for the prestigious 2024 CAF Player of the Year titles in their respective categories.

With seven awards potentially heading to Nigerian football, the anticipation surrounding the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech has reached fever pitch.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is pulling no punches in its endorsement of Lookman, whose stellar performances with Atalanta and the Super Eagles have earned him a place among Africa’s elite.

While the likes of Achraf Hakimi and Serhou Guirassy boast impressive campaigns, the NFF believes Lookman’s exploits on both club and national fronts set him apart.

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The NFF’s confidence is clear: “None of the other nominees comes close,” the statement boldly declared, dismissing rivals like Simon Adingra despite his AFCON heroics against Nigeria in February.

In the women’s category, Chiamaka Nnadozie’s stellar form has positioned her as a frontrunner for the Women’s Player of the Year award. The Paris FC goalkeeper has had a year to remember, leading Nigeria’s return to the Olympics after a 16-year absence and earning rave reviews in Europe.

Nnadozie isn’t just aiming for the Player of the Year crown—she’s also heavily favored to clinch the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for a second consecutive year. Should she succeed, it will solidify her status as one of Africa’s greatest shot-stoppers.

If both Lookman and Nnadozie win their respective categories, it will mark only the third time in CAF Awards history that Nigeria has swept the men’s and women’s titles in the same year—joining the iconic feats of Kanu and Akide-Udoh in 1999 and Osimhen and Oshoala in 2023.

This moment isn’t just about individual accolades; it’s about national pride and the continued dominance of Nigerian football on the continent.

As the spotlight turns to the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, all eyes will be on Lookman and Nnadozie to see if they can etch their names—and Nigeria’s—into 2024 CAF Awards history.