President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards as well as the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly, in what is expected to be a major continental football gathering.
The approval was confirmed on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, at the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
The meeting was attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau; former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President, Amaju Pinnick; and CAF Acting General Secretary, Samson Adamu.
According to the NFF, the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to hold in October 2026 and will bring together top football administrators from across the continent.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has approved Nigeria’s proposed hosting of the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football, as well as this year’s CAF Awards Ceremony,” the statement read.
“The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly will take place in October this year.”
The Assembly traditionally gathers presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions, and senior officials of African football for key policy and administrative discussions.
The CAF Awards, one of the continent’s most prestigious football events, celebrates outstanding performances across African and global football, drawing top players, coaches, and administrators to a high-profile ceremony marked by glamour and recognition.
The most recent edition was held in Rabat, Morocco, on November 19, 2025, where Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi was named African Men’s Player of the Year, succeeding Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman.
Hakimi’s win followed a standout season with Paris Saint-Germain, where he played a key role in securing both the UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 titles, finishing ahead of Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen.
