CAF team begins inspection of Nigeria venues for 48th Ordinary General Assembly and CAF Awards

A five-man Confederation of African Football (CAF) delegation has begun inspecting facilities in Abuja as Nigeria prepares its bid to host the organisation’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly and annual CAF Awards ceremony.

The CAF team arrived in Nigeria’s Federal Capital on Thursday for the first stage of its assessment of the venues and logistical arrangements proposed for the two major events.

The inspection follows approval from Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for the country to host the Congress and awards ceremony. The approval was granted two months ago after the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, and a request from CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe.

Dr Christian Emeruwa, CAF’s Head of Safety and Security, is leading the inspection team. He is joined by Mohammed Bakeer, who is responsible for technology; Inas Ahmed, overseeing travel and accommodation; Salah Mostafa, in charge of transport; and Herve Dassoundo, responsible for branding.

The delegation began its programme on Friday with an assessment of facilities at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Its next visit, scheduled for Saturday, will be to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, which has been designated as the venue for the Congress.

The team will also inspect the Transcorp Hilton Hotel during its time in Abuja.

CAF’s Ordinary General Assembly is the organisation’s largest event outside its competitions. Nigeria has hosted the CAF Congress on only two previous occasions, in 1980 and 2009.

The inspection will continue in Lagos on Sunday, when the delegation is due to visit the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts. The venue has been selected to stage the CAF Awards.

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport and EKO Hotel & Suites are also included in the Lagos itinerary.

The CAF delegation is being accompanied throughout the assessment by a five-member Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) team. It includes Dr Ademola Olajire, the NFF’s Director of Media & Communications; Alizor Chuks, Director of Marketing; Barnabas Joro, Head of Security; Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, Chief Protocol Officer; and Tasiu Riskuwa Shehu, Head of ICT.

The inspection is intended to assess the facilities and arrangements Nigeria has put forward for the two CAF events, with the delegation reviewing airport access, accommodation, transport, technology, security and branding requirements across Abuja and Lagos.