Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman has been named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards held in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The Atalanta forward triumphed over stiff competition, including Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams. This achievement marks the second consecutive year a Nigerian has won the prestigious award, following Victor Osimhen’s victory in 2023.

In the women’s category, Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda made history as the first Zambian to win the Women’s African Footballer of the Year award. She edged out Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie for the top honor.

Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie also shone at the event, clinching the award for Best Female Goalkeeper in Africa for 2024, further cementing her status as a standout player on the continent.

The CAF Awards winners are decided by a panel of experts, comprising members of CAF’s technical committee, African media professionals, players, and coaches.

Congratulations to all the winners, particularly Nigeria’s stars, for their exceptional performances on the global stage.