Ajibade Olusesan 
…as Nwabali, Bameyi fly Nigeria’s flag
Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, has been named among the top contenders for the prestigious 2025 CAF Awards, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially unveiled the list of nominees yesterday Osimhen, who had a sensational season with Turkish giants Galatasaray, leads Nigeria’s contingent after a prolific year in front of goal.
The 26-year-old striker bagged 26 goals in the Süper Lig, earning the Golden Boot, and netted a total of 37 goals across all competitions, with eight assists, powering his club to a domestic double, winning both the league and the Turkish Cup.
The former Napoli striker is in the running for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year, an award he won in 2023. He faces stiff competition from the continent’s best, including Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/PSG), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund), Frank Anguissa (Cameroon/Napoli), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal/Tottenham Hotspur), and Denis Bouanga (Gabon/LAFC).
T h e 2 0 2 5 edition of the C A F Awards is set to take p l a c e o n c e a g a i n Marrakech, Morocco, this December, marking the third consecutive year the North African city will host the event. However, the reigning African king, Ademola Lookman, is missing from this year’s shortlist.
The Nigerian winger claimed the award last year after leading Atalanta to a Europa League triumph in 2024 and helped the Italian side finish fourth in Serie A.
However, despite remaining a key figure for club and country, the 28-year-old’s 2024/25 campaign has not delivered the same level of impact, with fewer standout performances and no major titles to his name, which may have contributed to his omission.
Osimhen is not Nigeria’s only hopeful. Stanley Nwabali, first-choice goalkeeper for the Super Eagles, has been nominated for CAF Goalkeeper of the Year following a strong year both internationally and at club level with Chippa United in South Africa.
He’ll be up against the likes of André Onana (Cameroon/Manchester United), Yassine Bounou (Morocco/Al Hilal), and Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Al-Ahli). Meanwhile, Daniel Bameyi, captain of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, has been shortlisted for the CAF Young Player of the Year award.
The 19-year-old defender led the U-20 side to a bronze medal finish at the AFCON U-20 tournament and helped them reach the Round of 16 at the U-20 World Cup in Chile.
