The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is throwing its weight behind Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie as they compete for the prestigious CAF Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories.

The highly anticipated awards ceremony is set to take place on Monday evening at the Palais des Congrés in Marrakech, Morocco.

With Nigeria in contention for seven awards, the spotlight is on Lookman and Nnadozie, who have had stellar performances this year.

Lookman’s Path to Glory

Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian forward, is among the top five finalists for the Men’s Player of the Year award. He faces tough competition from:

• Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)
• Achraf Hakimi (PSG and Morocco)
• Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)
• Ronwen Williams (South Africa)

In a confident statement, the NFF highlighted Lookman’s exceptional year, stating:

"All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned African Player of the Year... None of the other nominees comes close. Even Simon Adingra, whose second-half heroics won the AFCON final against Nigeria, lacks the same glittering achievements Lookman boasts at English Premier League club Brighton."

Nnadozie: A Strong Contender

Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Paris FC goalkeeper, is vying for the Women’s Player of the Year award against Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Babra Banda. Nnadozie is also in the running for a consecutive win in the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year category, cementing her status as one of Africa’s finest.

The NFF praised Nnadozie’s accomplishments, noting:

"Chiamaka Nnadozie is a worthy contender for the Women’s Player of the Year. Her brilliance helped Nigeria qualify for next year’s AFCON, reappear at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after 16 years, and she drew rave reviews with her performances for Paris FC."

A Historic Milestone for Nigeria

If both Lookman and Nnadozie win their categories, it will mark the third time Nigeria has produced winners of both CAF Player of the Year awards in the same year. The country achieved this feat previously with:

• Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh in 1999
• Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala in 2023

The 2024 CAF Awards promise to be a memorable event for Nigerian football fans. All eyes are on Lookman and Nnadozie as they aim to bring home the accolades and solidify Nigeria’s dominance in African football.