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National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko has briefed CAF President Patrice Motsepe and other senior officials on Nigeria’s preparations to host two major African football events.
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Abuja will host the CAF Ordinary General Assembly on November 21, while Lagos is scheduled to host the 2026 CAF Awards on December 7.
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Preparations include venue readiness, transport, accommodation and coordination among government agencies and private-sector partners.
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The Federal Government hopes the events will strengthen Nigeria’s international profile and support its ambition to develop the sports economy.
October 12, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has stepped up preparations to host the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Ordinary General Assembly and CAF Awards, with National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko engaging the continental body’s leadership on arrangements for the two events.
Dikko met CAF President Patrice Motsepe, General Secretary Samson Adamu, and the CAF president’s special adviser, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, on Friday, October 9, during the organisation’s Strategy Conference in Sal, Cabo Verde, on the sidelines of the CAF Executive Committee meeting.
The discussions focused on Nigeria’s readiness to host the CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Abuja on November 21 and the 2026 CAF Awards in Lagos on December 7. The events are expected to bring football administrators, international delegates and other stakeholders to Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu had approved Nigeria’s readiness to host both events during a meeting with Motsepe on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2026. CAF’s Executive Committee subsequently awarded the country the hosting rights.
Preparations have since been ongoing, with engagements between Nigerian officials and CAF covering organisational requirements, venue readiness, transportation and accommodation arrangements for delegates.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly is expected to attract the presidents and general secretaries of the confederation’s 54 member associations, alongside other international delegates and football stakeholders.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja has been designated as the venue for the General Assembly, while the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, in Lagos will host the CAF Awards.
Dikko’s engagement with CAF leadership in Cabo Verde provided an opportunity to discuss outstanding preparations and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering both events.
His delegation included Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who is coordinating inter-agency collaboration for the events, and Saleh Amadu, chairman of TMPL and a private-sector supporter of the projects.
The involvement of government agencies and private-sector partners reflects the coordination required to host events of this scale, particularly those involving international guests, senior football officials and representatives of national football associations.
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Beyond the hosting arrangements, Nigeria’s selection for the two events forms part of the Federal Government’s broader ambition to use sports as a platform for economic growth, investment, employment and international engagement.
The government hopes that hosting major continental football gatherings will strengthen Nigeria’s global standing and cultural influence while creating opportunities for businesses and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), which seeks to harness the commercial and developmental potential of sports.
With the General Assembly scheduled for November 21, Abuja will host the first of the two events before attention shifts to Lagos for the CAF Awards on December 7. The successful delivery of both gatherings will be an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate its organisational capacity and reinforce its role in African football administration.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
