Tinubu approves Nigeria’s hosting of CAF Awards, CAF General Assembly

President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football as well as the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony.

The approval was announced during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, following a meeting between Mr Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation, those present at the meeting included 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 Secretary-General Samson Adamu.

The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to hold in October and will bring together presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and top football administrators from across the continent.

The CAF Awards, one of African football’s biggest annual events, celebrates outstanding players, coaches, clubs and football personalities across the continent.

President Tinubu is in Kenya for the Africa Forward Summit, a high-level gathering of African leaders, policymakers, investors and development partners discussing economic growth, infrastructure, digital innovation and regional cooperation.

The Nigerian leader arrived in Nairobi earlier this week and has held a series of bilateral engagements aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic ties across the continent.

Hosting the CAF General Assembly and CAF Awards is expected to boost Nigeria’s sports tourism profile and further position the country as a key destination for major continental sporting events.

Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Awards in Lagos and Abuja when stars such as Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala emerged among the continent’s top football honourees.