President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host two major African football events — the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the 2026 CAF Awards Ceremony — in another significant boost for the country’s sporting profile on the continent.
The announcement was made during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, after President Tinubu met with CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, and CAF Acting General Secretary, Samson Adamu.
The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to hold in October this year and is expected to attract some of the most influential figures in African football administration.
The gathering will bring together presidents of CAF’s 54 Member Associations, representatives of the six zonal unions, and top football stakeholders from across the continent.
Nigeria’s successful bid to host the congress is seen as a major endorsement of the country’s growing influence in African football and its capacity to stage high-profile international sporting events.
The CAF General Assembly serves as one of the continent’s most important football meetings, where key decisions concerning the development, governance, competitions, and future direction of African football are discussed and approved.
In addition to the congress, Nigeria will also host the prestigious CAF Awards Ceremony, an annual event that celebrates the finest football talents, teams, coaches, and administrators across Africa.
The glamorous awards night has become one of the most anticipated events on the African football calendar, recognising outstanding performances in both club and international football while bringing together stars, legends, administrators, and global football personalities.
The approval by President Tinubu is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s relationship with CAF and reinforce the country’s ambition to remain a leading force in African football administration and development.
Hosting both events is also projected to provide economic and tourism benefits for Nigeria, with delegates, football officials, media organisations, and international guests expected to travel into the country for the ceremonies.
The development has already generated excitement within the Nigerian football community, with stakeholders describing it as a positive step toward restoring the country’s status as a preferred destination for major continental sporting events
