Ajibade, Nnadozie Shortlisted for CAF Women’s Player & Goalkeeper Awards

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie have both been named in the final three shortlist for the 2025 CAF Awards, according to Bold Sports.

Ajibade is up for the Women’s Player of the Year, competing against Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy. Her nomination follows a stellar year where she led Nigeria to their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, was named Player of the Tournament, and earned a spot in the Team of the Tournament.

Meanwhile, Nnadozie is vying for her third straight CAF Goalkeeper of the Year award. She has previously won the accolade and continues to be recognised for her consistency and leadership.  Nnadozie’s competitors for the award are Khadija Er-Rmichi from Morocco and Andile Dlamini of South Africa.

In addition, Nigeria’s rising star Shakirat Moshood has been shortlisted for the Women’s Young Player of the Year, and the Super Falcons themselves are finalists for Women’s National Team of the Year. The CAF Awards 2025 ceremony is scheduled for 19 November in Rabat, Morocco, where Africa’s top players, coaches, and teams will be honoured.

Editorial

There is something quietly formidable about Rasheedat Ajibade and Chiamaka Nnadozie being shortlisted together not just because they are Nigerian, but because they epitomise leadership and poise in African women’s football. Their names on the final lists reflect not just individual brilliance, but a larger story about the Super Falcons’ strength, spirit, and lasting impact.

Ajibade has carried the weight of expectation for some time. As captain, she did not merely perform at WAFCON — she owned it. Her performances were not flashy for flashiness’ sake, but purposeful. She dictated tempo, made decisive runs, and inspired a squad to reclaim continental dominance. Her inclusion alongside Chebbak and Mssoudy confirms that she remains among Africa’s elite.

Nnadozie, on her part, has earned her place not through glamour but consistency. The goalkeeper’s nomination for a third straight year is more than recognition it is validation. In a position where mistakes are magnified, her steady presence has been a bulwark for Nigeria. The fact that she remains the only Nigerian goalkeeper in the top three is telling. It speaks of her resilience, her nerve, and her capacity to deliver when the stakes are at their highest.

But their shortlistings are not just personal milestones they underline Nigeria’s austere dominance in women’s football. The Super Falcons are more than a team they are a symbol. Their presence across major award categories underscores a depth and quality that few nations can match. Ajibade, Nnadozie, Moshood these are not isolated successes, but threads in a broader tapestry of Nigerian excellence.

As we head to Rabat on 19 November, the anticipation is not just about who lifts the trophies. It’s about what their wins  or even just their nominations mean for the future of African women’s football. If Ajibade or Nnadozie triumph, it will be a reminder that leadership, talent, and tradition continue to drive the narrative forward. And that Nigeria, once again, is not following it’s leading.

Did You Know?

1. WAFCON Impact: Ajibade was named Player of the Tournament at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria won their record-extending 10th title.
2. Three-peat in Sight: If Nnadozie wins again, she will have claimed CAF Goalkeeper of the Year three years in a row — a rare feat in any sport.
3. Previous CAF Success: Nnadozie won the CAF Goalkeeper of the Year award in December 2024.
4. Club Recognition: Ajibade plays her club football for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), underscoring her quality on both the continental and global stage.
5. Young Talent Rising: Shakirat Moshood, who is also shortlisted (for the CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year), represents the growing pipeline of talent coming through in Nigerian women’s football.