President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host the 2026 CAF Awards, a major step that signals the country’s return to the forefront of African football events and administration.
The approval was reportedly finalised after a meeting between Tinubu and the President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe, during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Alongside the CAF Awards, the President also endorsed Nigeria’s proposal to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly scheduled for October 2026.
The development marks another milestone for Nigerian football, as the country last hosted the CAF Awards ceremony in Abuja in January 2017.
The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that the endorsement followed discussions between NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and CAF officials.
Members of the Nigerian delegation at the meeting included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and former NFF President Amaju Pinnick, who currently serves as a Special Adviser to the CAF President.
Officials said hosting both events is expected to boost Nigeria’s international image, strengthen sports tourism, and further showcase the country’s ability to organise major continental football events.
The decision is also seen as a sign of CAF’s confidence in Nigeria’s infrastructure, organisational capacity, and security arrangements for high-profile gatherings in African football.
