Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen was named African Footballer of the Year at the CAF awards ceremony in Marrakech on Monday with compatriot Asisat Oshoala winning the top prize in the women’s category.
Nigeria took home the trophy for the women’s National Team of the Year, while South Africa’s Desiree Ellis won women’s Coach of the Year for the fourth time in succession.
Osimhen, 24, scored 26 goals as he helped Napoli to a surprise triumph in Serie A last season and was the leading marksmen in Italy’s top division.
Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah and Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi were the other two final nominees, but Osimhen claimed the prize to become the first Nigerian winner since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
Morocco won National Team of the Year in the men’s category after their thrilling run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, while the man who led them there, Walid Regragui, won Coach of the Year.
Oshoala was the women’s Player of the Year for a record sixth time having battled injury to help her side to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where they took eventual finalists England to penalties.
