The release of the full voting breakdown for the 2025 CAF Awards has triggered a fresh controversy in Nigeria, with several Nigerian representatives casting ballots that worked against the country’s top performers.
According to report by Soccernet, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi clinched the African Footballer of the Year award with a dominant 533 points, nearly matching the combined tallies of Mohamed Salah (317) and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen (240).
Despite winning the Turkish double, finishing top scorer, and sweeping individual accolades, Osimhen settled for third, a sharp drop from his 2023 triumph.
Hakimi’s win marked Morocco’s first in the category since 1998, rounding off a season in which he won Ligue 1, lifted the Champions League and helped his country reach the 2026 World Cup unbeaten.
Still, the key conversation in Nigeria has shifted to how Nigerian voters ranked their own.
Amokachi’s ballot raises questions
Super Eagles legend Daniel Amokachi, serving as a CAF Technical Expert, placed Osimhen fifth, awarding him just one point, his lowest position among Nigeria’s influential voters.
Amokachi listed Hakimi, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Mohamed Salah in his top three, with Serhou Guirassy fourth.
In contrast, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle and captain William Troost-Ekong both voted Osimhen first, followed by Hakimi and Pape Matar Sarr.
Nigerian youngsters undermined
The pattern extended to the Young Men’s Player category. Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi finished 10th after Nigeria’s media voter, Oluwashina Okeleji, left him out of his top five entirely.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was placed eighth in his category despite strong backing from his coach and captain.
Okeleji ranked Cameroon’s Andre Onana ahead of Nwabali, putting the Nigerian in second place on his ballot and weakening his points haul.
Women’s categories hit hard
The Women’s Player of the Year race exposed an even wider split. Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak won with 223 points, ahead of Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade (155) and Esther Okoronkwo (134).
Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu backed Okoronkwo first and Ajibade second, while Morocco’s Jorge Vilda also ranked Ajibade ahead of Chebbak.
However, Nigeria’s media representative, Samuel Ahmadu, voted Okoronkwo third and placed Ajibade fifth, selecting Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga as his top two.
Ahmadu similarly ranked Chiamaka Nnadozie fifth in the Goalkeeper of the Year category, despite her winning the award for the third time and earning top marks from both Madugu and Ajibade.
In the Women’s Young Player category, Flamingos captain Shakirat Moshood finished second behind Morocco’s Doha El Madani. Ahmadu again placed the Nigerian fifth.
Even team award not spared
Nigeria’s Women’s National Team of the Year honour, secured after their WAFCON victory, nearly slipped away.
The Super Falcons won with 106 points, edging Morocco’s 98, but Ahmadu ranked Tanzania first and Nigeria fifth, the only ballot with such an assessment.