Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Stanley Nwabali have been shortlisted for top individual honours at the 2025 CAF Awards, though the Super Eagles were surprisingly left out of the National Team of the Year category.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the nominations on Wednesday, featuring several Nigerian stars across multiple categories.
Osimhen, who currently plays for Galatasaray, made the final ten-man shortlist for the prestigious Men’s Player of the Year award.
The 2023 winner will face stiff competition from Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Oussama Lamlioui, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, Congo’s Fiston Mayele, Cameroon’s Frank Anguissa, Gabon’s Denis Bouanga, and Senegal’s duo of Illimane Ndiaye and Pape Sarr.
The 26-year-old striker enjoyed a remarkable season in Turkey, scoring 26 league goals to fire Galatasaray to the Super Lig title.
His outstanding form also secured him a record-breaking €75 million transfer from Napoli, the most expensive deal in Turkish football history.
His Super Eagles teammate, Stanley Nwabali, was also recognised following an impressive year between the posts.
The Chippa United goalkeeper is among the contenders for the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, where he will battle Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, and Cameroon’s Andre Onana.
In the youth category, Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi earned a nomination for the Young Player of the Year award, underlining Nigeria’s continued presence in CAF’s individual honours.
On the women’s front, Super Falcons stars Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo were both shortlisted for the CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, adding to the country’s strong representation.
However, Nigeria’s men’s national team failed to make the shortlist for the National Team of the Year, despite their promising performances in the ongoing 2025 World Cup qualifiers.
The CAF Awards ceremony, which celebrates the continent’s best players and teams, will be held later this year at a venue yet to be announced.
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