The approval was confirmed in a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday, following high-level engagements during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where President Tinubu met with CAF President Patrice Motsepe.
The delegation at the meeting included Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; NFF President Ibrahim Gusau; former NFF President and CAF Presidential Adviser Amaju Pinnick; and CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
According to the NFF, the approval clears the way for Nigeria to host one of the continent’s most important football governance gatherings later this year.
“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.”
A Major Football Governance Event Coming to Nigeria
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly brings together leaders of all 54 member associations, alongside representatives of CAF’s six regional zonal unions and senior officials from across African football.
The meeting is widely regarded as the continent’s highest decision-making football forum, shaping policies, governance structures, and competition frameworks.
Alongside it, the CAF Awards remains Africa’s most prestigious football ceremony, celebrating outstanding players, coaches, and teams across the continent in a globally watched gala event.
Recent CAF Awards Highlight African Football Power Shift
The most recent edition of the awards was held in Rabat, Morocco, on November 19, 2025, where host nation Morocco dominated several categories.
Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco star Achraf Hakimi emerged as African Men’s Player of the Year, becoming the first Moroccan winner since Mustapha Hadji in 1998. He finished ahead of Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen after a standout season in Europe.
Morocco also secured multiple honours, including Yassine Bounou as Goalkeeper of the Year, Othmane Maamma as Young Player of the Year, and Ghizlane Chebbak as Women’s Player of the Year following her strong showing at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria still maintained a strong presence in the women’s category, with Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie retaining her Goalkeeper of the Year title, while the national team won Women’s National Team of the Year.
Nigeria’s CAF Awards History and Legacy Moments
Nigeria has hosted the CAF Awards four times previously, with Lagos staging the most recent edition in January 2015 at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre.
That ceremony saw Ivorian legend Yaya Touré claim his fourth consecutive African Player of the Year award, equalling the record held by Samuel Eto’o. Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama also featured among the top three nominees after an impressive season in France with Lille.
The 2015 event also marked a defining moment for Nigerian women’s football, as Asisat Oshoala won her first African Women’s Player of the Year award on home soil—an achievement that preceded her historic run of six continental titles.
Renewed Spotlight on Nigeria’s Football Standing
The upcoming hosting rights, if fully confirmed, would return Nigeria to a central position in African football administration and celebration after more than a decade.
Beyond the glamour of the CAF Awards, the Ordinary General Assembly is expected to draw top football administrators from across the continent, reinforcing Nigeria’s role in shaping the direction of African football policy and development.