The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given its public backing to Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman to emerge as the CAF Awards African Player of the Year on Monday night in Marrakech, Morocco.
The 27-year-old Atalanta star has had a brilliant year for club and country, but he is up against Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, Cote d’Ivoire winger Simon Adingra, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
According to the Confederation of African Football, the category is so keenly contested that they could not cut down the five nominees to three finalists like they did with other categories.
However, like most Nigerians, the NFF believes Lookman did enough this year for Atalanta and the Super Eagles to win the award.
In a piece titled ‘2024 CAF Awards: Lookman is the man, whichever way you look at it!’ the NFF makes a strong case for Lookman to succeed his compatriot Victor Osimhen.
“All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned the African Player of the Year at Monday evening’s 2024 CAF Awards at the Palais des Congrés in the Moroccan city of Marrakech,” the NFF wrote in the piece shared with sports media, including SportingTimes.ng.
“His three goals and two assists were pivotal to Nigeria reaching their eighth Africa Cup of Nations Final in Cote d’Ivoire in February, and his hat-trick in a 3-0 win handed Italian side, Atalanta FC the UEFA Europa Cup at the expense of hitherto-rampaging German side, Bayer Leverkusen in May.
“This season, he has notched 11 goals and five assists in 18 appearances in all competitions for Atalanta (including a goal against record winners Real Madrid FC in the UEFA Champions League), and scored two goals as Nigeria qualified for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals, with two other goals controversially chalked off.
“None of the four other final nominees comes close. Ivorian Simon Adingra, whose remarkable second-half performance saw the Elephants overcome Nigeria in the AFCON Final in Abidjan on 11 February, cannot point to such a glittering record with English Premier League club, Brighton.
“Incidentally, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire appear to always run neck-and-neck in continental titles. Both countries have three AFCON titles each, and have scooped the Men’s Player of the Year title six times since the awards were taken over by CAF in 1992. Cameroon lead with 11 titles (including Samuel Eto’O’s quadruple) dating back to 1970 when France Football first organized the awards, while Ghana have five (including Abedi Pele’s treble).
“Victory for Nigeria on Monday evening will see the country become stand-alone number two, with previous winners being Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996 and 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997) and Victor Osimhen (2023). It will also mean Lookman taking over from fellow Nigeria striker Osimhen. Cote d’Ivoire’s six have been won by Yaya Toure (quadruple) and Didier Drogba (double).
“Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, who notched a number of magnificent goals in the 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign, failed to steer Guinea to the AFCON finals, and has not pulled up too many trees with Borussia Dortmund in Germany this season.
“South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has better chances in the goalkeeper of the year category, which he contests with Cameroon’s Andre Onana and Ivorian Yahia Fofana. Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi can hardly stake a claim.”
The NFF is also backing other Nigerian contenders for prizes at the CAF Awards, including Chiamaka Nnadozie, who is up for Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, the Super Falcons, Super Eagles, Edo Queens and Chiamaka Okuchukwu.
