By Seyi Babalola
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is backing Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, who will compete for CAF Player of the Year honours in the men’s and women’s categories on Monday.
The country is in line to get seven awards.
Lookman will compete for the men’s Player of the Year award against Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea forward Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
In a statement, the NFF said: “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.
“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 February 11, cannot point to such a glittering record with English Premier League club, Brighton.”
Nnadozie is a contender for the Women’s Player of the Year award, with Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Babra Banda.
The Paris FC goalkeeper is also a strong contender for a second consecutive Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
“In the women’s category, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie is a worthy contender for the Player of The Year (won for the sixth time last year by compatriot Asisat Oshoala), and the gong will cap a remarkable year for the soft-spoken safe hands who helped Nigeria re-appear at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after 16 years, was key to the Falcons’ qualification for next year’s AFCON and drew rave reviews all around with French club, Paris FC,” the statement added.
If both players win, it will be the third time Nigeria has produced winners of both awards, following Nwankwo Kanu and Mercy Akide-Udoh in 1999 and Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala in 2023.