Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade and her teammate Esther Okoronkwo have been nominated for the 2025 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award, where they will face stiff competition from reigning winner Barbra Banda of Zambia.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the nominees on Friday for the ceremony, which will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, for the third consecutive year.
Ajibade and Okoronkwo will vie for the prestigious honour alongside Banda, Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy, Ghana’s Portia Boakye, and Zambia’s Tabitha Chawinga and Temsha Snawinga.
Also on the shortlist are Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak, Senegal’s Mama Diop, Mali’s Mama Drame, and Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji.
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Nigeria’s duo are seen as strong contenders for the top prize. Ajibade was named Most Valuable Player at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while Okoronkwo played a pivotal role in helping the Super Falcons clinch the title, providing crucial assists in both the semifinal win over South Africa and the final victory against Morocco.
At the club level, both players have continued to shine. Ajibade secured a move to Paris Saint-Germain Women in the summer and recently scored her first goal for the club in a UEFA Women’s Champions League game. At the same time, Okoronkwo was recently named AFC Toronto’s Player of the Month for September.
With an impressive field of nominees who have excelled for both club and country, the 2025 CAF Women’s Player of the Year race promises to be fiercely contested.
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