President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for Nigeria to host two major continental football events — the 2026 Confederation of African Football Awards and the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly. The approval was announced in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on Tuesday after Tinubu met with CAF President Patrice Motsepe at the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.
Those present at the meeting included Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; NFF President Ibrahim Gusau; former NFF President Amaju Pinnick; and CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
The federation noted that the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to hold in October this year and will attract leading football administrators from across Africa.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has approved Nigeria’s proposed hosting of the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football, as well as this year’s CAF Awards Ceremony,” the statement read.
“The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly will take place in October this year, 2026.”
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally brings together presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions, and senior football officials from across the continent.
The CAF Awards remain the pinnacle of African football celebrations, honouring the continent’s finest talents in a dazzling display of elegance, glamour, and prestige.
The latest edition of the CAF Awards was held in Rabat, Morocco, on November 19, 2025, and saw the host nation emerge as the biggest winner across several top categories.
Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi was named African Men’s Player of the Year, taking over from Ademola Lookman after playing a key role in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 triumphs.
The full-back made history as the first Moroccan to claim the award since Mustapha Hadji won it in 1998, beating off competition from Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen.
Morocco’s dominance extended to other categories, with Yassine Bounou winning Goalkeeper of the Year, Othmane Maamma earning Young Player of the Year, and Ghizlane Chebbak clinching Women’s Player of the Year following her standout displays at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite Morocco’s impressive haul, Nigeria also made its mark in the women’s categories. Chiamaka Nnadozie successfully defended her Goalkeeper of the Year title, while the Nigeria women's national football team was recognised as National Team of the Year after another dominant outing.
Nigeria has hosted the CAF Awards four times in the past, with Lagos serving as the venue for the most recent edition in January 2015.
At the ceremony held at the Eko Hotel & Suites Convention Centre, Yaya Touré made history by claiming his fourth straight African Player of the Year title, matching the long-standing record set by Samuel Eto’o. Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama was also shortlisted among the final three after an impressive campaign with Lille OSC, but he ultimately placed behind Touré and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 2015 awards night in Lagos also signalled the rise of Asisat Oshoala as a dominant force in African women’s football. Playing on home soil, she secured her first Women’s Player of the Year award — the first of what would become a record-breaking six titles.
