CAF delegation inspects National Theatre ahead of awards ceremony, while Abuja prepares for the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed confidence in the state’s readiness to host the 2026 CAF Awards after a delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) completed an inspection of the National Theatre, the venue selected for the prestigious ceremony.

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The five-member CAF team, led by CAF Head of Safety and Security, Dr Christian Emeruwa, inspected the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, on Monday. Other members of the delegation included Mohammed Bakeer (Technology), Inas Ahmed (Travel and Accommodation), Salah Mostafa (Transport) and Hervé Dassoundo (Branding). They were received by officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission, led by Director-General Lekan Fatodu, as part of preparations for both the 2026 CAF Awards and the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly.

Reacting after the inspection, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the state was committed to delivering a world-class event. “We guided them through the venue and gathered their feedback. Hosting an event of this scale means every single detail counts, and our team is working hard behind the scenes to make sure we get it right. Lagos is ready, and we look forward to putting on a brilliant show for African football,” he wrote on X.

Nigeria has previously hosted the CAF Awards on four occasions, with Lagos staging the last edition in January 2015. This year’s awards ceremony will return to Lagos, while Abuja will host the CAF Ordinary General Assembly on November 21, 2026. Before arriving in Lagos, the CAF delegation inspected facilities in Abuja, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The inspection exercise is being supported by a five-member delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), comprising 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 the two major CAF events in June after President Bola Tinubu approved a request by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe during the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.