Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the state is fully prepared to host this year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards after a CAF inspection team assessed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, the proposed venue for the ceremony.
The five-member CAF delegation is in Nigeria to inspect facilities ahead of the organisation’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly in Abuja and the annual CAF Awards in Lagos.
The team, led by CAF Head of Safety and Security, Dr Christian Emeruwa, toured the National Theatre alongside officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission, led by Director-General Lekan Fatodu.
Speaking after the inspection, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence in Lagos’ readiness to host one of African football’s biggest events.
“We guided them through the venue and gathered their feedback. Hosting an event of this scale means every single detail counts and our team is working hard behind the scenes to make sure we get it right,” he said in a post on X.
The governor added: “Lagos is ready and we look forward to putting on a brilliant show for African football.”
The CAF delegation also includes Mohammed Bakeer (Technology), Inas Ahmed (Travel and Accommodation), Salah Mostafa (Transport) and Hervé Dassoundo (Branding).
Nigeria has hosted the CAF Awards four times, with Lagos staging the most recent edition. While Abuja will host this year’s CAF Ordinary General Assembly, Lagos will welcome Africa’s top football stars for the awards ceremony recognising the continent’s best players, coaches and officials.
Before arriving in Lagos, the CAF team inspected facilities in Abuja, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, where the General Assembly will be held, and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
The inspection tour is being coordinated by a five-member delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), comprising Director of Media and Communications Dr Ademola Olajire, Director of Marketing Alizor Chuks, Head of Security Barnabas Joro, Chief Protocol Officer Emmanuel Ayanbunmi and Head of ICT Tasiu Riskuwa Shehu.
Nigeria secured the hosting rights for both CAF events after President Bola Tinubu approved the request made by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe during the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, two months ago.
