Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed confidence in the state’s readiness to host the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards following an inspection of the proposed venue by a CAF delegation.
The five-member CAF team visited the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, on Monday to assess the facility ahead of the annual awards ceremony.
The delegation arrived in Nigeria last Thursday to inspect facilities proposed for hosting the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly and the CAF Awards.
The inspection team is led by CAF’s Head of Safety and Security, Dr Christian Emeruwa. Other members include Mohammed Bakeer, who oversees technology, Inas Ahmed in charge of travel and accommodation, Salah Mostafa handling transport, and Hervé Dassoundo responsible for branding.
Officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission, led by Director-General Lekan Fatodu, received the CAF delegation during the inspection.
Speaking after the visit, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos is committed to delivering a successful event.
According to the governor, the inspection provided an opportunity to guide the CAF team through the venue while receiving valuable feedback on the preparations.
He noted that hosting an event of such magnitude requires attention to every detail and assured that the state’s team is working diligently behind the scenes to ensure everything meets international standards.
Sanwo-Olu added that Lagos is fully prepared and looks forward to showcasing Africa’s football excellence through a memorable awards ceremony.
Nigeria has hosted the CAF Awards on four previous occasions, with Lagos hosting the most recent edition in January 2015.
Under the current arrangement, Abuja will host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly on November 21, 2026, while Lagos will stage the CAF Awards ceremony, which recognises the continent’s outstanding footballers, coaches and officials.
Before arriving in Lagos, the CAF delegation inspected facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Friday. The team also visited the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, which will host the General Assembly, and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel on Saturday.
The CAF officials are being accompanied throughout the inspection by a five-member delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The team includes the 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 two months ago after President Bola Tinubu approved the request made by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe during the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
