CAF Awards 2025: Victor Osimhen, Stanley Nwabali flying Nigeria flag among Africa’s elite

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the shortlist for the 2025 CAF Awards, with Victor Osimhen and Stanley Nwabali both featuring in the men’s categories, recognised for their performances across the past year at club and international level.

Osimhen’s name was always likely to be there. His season with Galatasaray was outstanding, 26 goals in the Turkish Süper Lig, a Golden Boot, and a league title to go with it. He added another 11 strikes in other competitions as the Istanbul giants completed a domestic double. Alongside him on the Player of the Year list are Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Serhou Guirassy, Frank Anguissa, and others who have equally strong cases to make.

𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) – 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀#CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/K20lH4eVJh

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) October 22, 2025

Nwabali’s inclusion tells a different story, one of steady rise rather than established stardom. His displays at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations caught continental attention, where he kept four clean sheets and carried an assured calm in goal as Nigeria reached the final. Since then, he has remained incumbent for one of the continent’s biggest nations. Nominated alongside him are the likes of Yassine Bounou, Ronwen William and Andre Onana, among others.

Do Osimhen, Nwabali have realistic chances at CAF Awards 2025?

Osimhen’s numbers are almost impossible to ignore, but perception might count against him.

The Turkish top flight doesn’t hold the same sway as the Premier League or Champions League, and awards like these often lean towards players performing under brighter lights. On sheer output, he’s on par with Guirassy, but when reputations, club stature and major prizes come into play, Hakimi and Salah look better placed to edge it at the top.

Nwabali’s case is harder to make. His nomination perhaps owes more to his AFCON exploits from last year than to anything from 2025 itself. If anything, a few costly errors in recent months have led many to question if he still deserves to be first-choice for Nigeria.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) – 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀#CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/z4VOFZERxM

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) October 22, 2025

Even leaving gaffes aside, clean sheets have not been in abundant supply, with neither Chippa’s nor the Super Eagles’ back line offering much of a platform for recognition. So, never mind winning; his nomination at all is a source of puzzlement. Then again, the fact that André Onana  figures in the shortlist as well is the clearest indication that CAF are playing it entirely by ear.