Nigeria’s brightest football talents have secured multiple places on the final shortlist for the 2025 CAF Awards, with Victor Osimhen, Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Shakirat Moshood all earning recognition ahead of the ceremony scheduled for November 19 in Rabat, Morocco.
CAF released the updated finalists list on Sunday, confirming the players who stood out between January 6 and October 15, 2025, across club and international competitions.
Osimhen Among Finalists for African Player of the Year
Victor Osimhen, enjoying an impressive spell at Galatasaray, is a top contender in the men’s category. He will compete for the African Player of the Year crown alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.
Osimhen’s nomination strengthens Nigeria’s recent dominance in the award, following his own win in 2023 and Ademola Lookman’s triumph in 2024.
Ajibade Makes Women’s Final Three
Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade, now starring for Paris Saint-Germain, is one of the three finalists for the Women’s Player of the Year award. She is joined by Morocco’s Ghizlaine Chebbak of Al Hilal and Sanaa Mssoudy of AS FAR.
Ajibade’s leadership during Nigeria’s historic 10th WAFCON victory reinforced her reputation as one of Africa’s most influential footballers.
Nnadozie Shortlisted for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
In the goalkeeping category, Chiamaka Nnadozie continues her meteoric rise with a nomination for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Now playing for Brighton & Hove Albion after an outstanding spell at Paris FC, the Super Falcons shot-stopper is shortlisted alongside Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi and South Africa’s Andile Dlamini.
Her consistency for club and country has made her one of Africa’s most respected goalkeepers.
Moshood Earns Young Player Nomination
Teen sensation Shakirat Moshood of Bayelsa Queens appears on the Women’s Young Player of the Year shortlist, following a year of breakthrough performances in both domestic and continental competitions.
Her clinical goalscoring helped Bayelsa Queens reach the final of the WAFU B Zonal Champions League, where she finished as top scorer. She also captained Nigeria’s Flamingos to the second round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
More Awards to Follow After CAF Women’s Champions League
CAF announced that several categories—including Women’s Coach of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, and Club of the Year—will be finalized after the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt. Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu is widely expected to feature among the finalists.
Nigeria Also Competes for Women’s Team of the Year
In addition to the individual accolades, Nigeria appears on the shortlist for Women’s National Team of the Year, alongside Ghana and Morocco. The nominations celebrate countries that achieved standout performances during the review window.
CAF said the shortlists were compiled by a panel of experts, including technical committee members, coaches, former players, and journalists, who assessed performances across all official competitions.
This year’s awards highlight one of Nigeria’s strongest showings in recent memory, reflecting the country’s growing influence and depth of talent in African football.
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