By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has been named among Africa’s 100 Most Notable Peace Icons for 2025, joining prominent figures such as businessman Tony Elumelu and Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah.
The announcement was made during a press conference in Abuja, ahead of the upcoming 100 Most Notable Africans Leadership and Business Summit, scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 4 to 6.
Osimhen’s recognition follows a standout season in Turkey, where he scored 36 goals in 40 matches for Galatasaray while on loan from Napoli. His performance earned him the club’s Player of the Season award.
Other Nigerians featured on the list include WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, billionaire investor Femi Otedola, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and entrepreneur Dr. Charles Odii.
According to Project Director Amb. Kingsley Amafibe, the honor is given to individuals who have “consistently used their platforms and influence to promote peace, unity, and socio-economic development” across the continent.
Osimhen, who remains a key figure in African football, is reportedly attracting interest from top clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, and several teams in Saudi Arabia.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
