As the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony draws near, all eyes are on two of Nigeria’s brightest football stars, Chiamaka Nnadozie and Ademola Lookman, as they vie for the prestigious Player of the Year honors in their respective categories.
The Super Falcons’ shot-stopper, Nnadozie, is one of the leading contenders for the Women’s Player of the Year award, a title recently dominated by her fellow Nigerian Asisat Oshoala.
Chiamaka Nnadozie, a key figure in Nigeria’s football resurgence, has had a standout year, playing an instrumental role in the Super Falcons’ qualification for next year’s Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Her stellar performances also helped Nigeria secure a spot in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after a 16-year absence.
Additionally, her remarkable displays with French club Paris FC have earned her widespread acclaim. Nnadozie faces stiff competition from Moroccan goalkeeper Sanâa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Barbra Banda.
Beyond the Player of the Year award, Nnadozie is also in contention to retain her Goalkeeper of the Year title.
She faces competition from South Africa’s Andile Dlamini and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi, both of whom have also impressed on the continental stage.
On the men’s side, Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman is in the running for CAF’s Male Player of the Year award.
Lookman is up against tough competition, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Senegal’s Sadio Mané, but his consistency and impact in Serie A have earned him a rightful place among the nominees.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has voiced its unwavering support for both players, who could make history by claiming both the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year titles in the same year, a feat last achieved by Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh in 1999, and more recently by Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala in 2023.
Other categories also feature Nigerian representation. In the Women’s Young Player of the Year race, former junior international Chiamaka Okwuchukwu will compete with Egypt’s Habiba Sabry and Morocco’s Doha El Madani.
Meanwhile, the Men’s National Team of the Year category sees Nigeria competing against Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa, while the Super Falcons are vying for the Women’s National Team of the Year alongside Morocco and South Africa.
Further adding to the excitement, Nigeria’s Edo Queens have earned a spot in the running for Women’s Club of the Year, alongside TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Morocco’s AS FAR.
As the countdown to tonight’s CAF Awards continues, the question remains: Will Lookman and Nnadozie make history as the first Nigerian duo to claim both the Player of the Year awards in the same ceremony?
The stage is set for a memorable night in Marrakesh.