CAF Awards 2025: Ajibade And Banda Among Top Contenders For African Women’s Player Of The Year

‎Reigning African Women’s Player of the Year, Barbra Banda, faces a strong challenge to retain her title at the 2025 CAF Awards.

‎The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released its nomination list for the prestigious honour.

‎Banda will compete against Women’s AFCON MVP Rasheedat Ajibade, fellow Zambian star Racheal Kundananji, and Nigeria’s Esther Okoronkwo for the top prize.

‎Also making the shortlist are Malawi’s talented sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, Morocco’s captain Ghizlane Chebbak, and Senegal’s in-form striker Mama Diop, setting up one of the most competitive contests in recent CAF Awards history.

‎The depth of talent across the nominees highlights the growing strength of women’s football on the continent.

‎In the Goalkeeper of the Year category, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie of Brighton & Hove Albion is once again in contention. She will be aiming to secure a remarkable third consecutive win in the category.

‎However, she faces strong competition from South Africa’s Andile Dlamini, Botswana’s Sedilame Boseja, Algeria’s Chloé N’Gazi (Olympique de Marseille), and Congo’s Fideline Ndoy (TP Mazembe).

‎Also shortlisted are Habiba Emad from Egypt (FC Masar), Cynthia Konlan from Ghana (Swieqi United), Fatoumata Karantao from Mali (USFAS Bamako), Khadija Er-Rmichi from Morocco (AS FAR), and Adji Ndiaye from Senegal (AS Bambey), making the field one of the most competitive in recent years.

‎Justin Madugu, who guided the Super Falcons to the 2024 African title, has been nominated for the Women’s Coach of the Year award.

‎She will compete against Morocco’s Lamia Boumehdi, South Africa’s Desiree Ellis, Zambia’s Carol Kanyemba, the Ivory Coast’s Adelaide Koudougnon, and Equatorial Guinea’s Genoveva Anonma for the prestigious honour.

‎The CAF Awards ceremony will celebrate the players, coaches, and teams that made a significant impact during the period from January 6th to October 15th, 2025.

‎A panel of experts, including members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee, top coaches, CAF Legends, and selected media representatives, compiled the shortlist.

‎They selected 10 nominees in each category based on outstanding performances across all competitions.

‎Nominations in full

‎Women’s Player of the Year

‎Portia Boakye (Ghana/Hapoel Petah Tikva)  

‎Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi/OL Lyonnes)  

‎Temwa Chawinga (Malawi/Kansas City)  

‎Ghizlaine Chebbak (Morocco/Al Hilal)  

‎Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco/AS FAR)  

‎Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria/AFC Toronto)  

‎Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria/Paris Saint-Germain)  

‎Mama Diop (Senegal/RC Strasbourg)  

‎Barbra Banda (Zambia/Orlando Pride)  

‎Rachael Kundananji (Zambia/Bay FC)

‎Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year

‎Chloe N’Gazi (Algeria/Olympique de Marseille)  

‎Sedilame Boseja (Botswana/Mamelodi Sundowns)  

‎Fideline Ndoy (DRC/TP Mazembe)  

‎Habiba Emad (Egypt/FC Masar)  

‎Cynthia Konlan (Ghana/Swieqi United)  

‎Fatoumata Karantao (Mali/USFAS Bamako)  

‎Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco/AS FAR)  

‎Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria/Brighton & Hove Albion)  

‎Adji Ndiaye (Senegal/AS Bambey)  

‎Andile Dlamini (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)

‎Women’s Interclub Player of the Year

‎Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse (Botswana/Gaborone United) 

‎Maungo Maponga (Botswana/Gaborone United)

‎Ami Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire/ASEC Mimosas) 

‎Habibou Ouedraogo (Cote d’Ivoire/ASEC Mimosas)

‎Ana Maria Nchama (Equatorial Guinea/15 de Agosto) 

‎Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco/AS FAR) 

‎Doha El Madani (Morocco/AS FAR)

‎Oumou Koné (Mali/USFAS Bamako)

‎Bambanani Mbane (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)

‎Jamila Rajab (Tanzania/JKT Queens)

‎Women’s Coach of the Year

‎Adelaide Koudougnon (Côte d’Ivoire U-17)  

‎Siaka Gigi Traoré (ASEC Mimosas/Côte d’Ivoire)  

‎Lamia Boumehdi (Morocco/TP Mazembe)  

‎Genoveva Anonma (Equatorial Guinea/15 de Agosto)  

‎Lars Kim (Ghana)  

‎Jorge Vilda (Morocco)  

‎Bankole Olowookere (Nigeria U-17)  

‎Justin Madugu (Nigeria)  

‎Desiree Ellis (South Africa)  

‎Carol Kanyemba (Zambia U-17)

‎Women’s Young Player of the Year

‎Habiba Essam (Egypt/Al Ahly)

‎Habiba Sabry (Egypt/FC Masar)

‎Stella Nyamekye (Ghana/Fort Lauderdale United)

‎Doha El Madani (Morocco/AS FAR)

‎Shakirat Abidemi Moshood (Nigeria/Bayelsa Queens)

‎Adji Ndiaye (Senegal/AS Bambey)

‎Esther Maseke Marwa (Tanzania/JKT Queens)

‎Winfrida Gerald (Tanzania/JKT Queens)

‎Mercy Chipasula (Zambia/Mighty Wanderers)

‎Ruth Mukoma (Zambia/Zesco United)

‎Women’s National Team of the Year

‎Cameroon U-17

‎Côte d’Ivoire U-17

‎Ghana

‎Mali

‎Morocco

‎Nigeria

‎Nigeria U-17

‎South Africa

‎Tanzania

‎Zambia U-17

‎Women’s Club of the Year

‎Gaborone United (Botswana)

‎ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)

‎TP Mazembe (DR Congo) 

‎15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea)

‎USFAS Bamako (Mali)

‎AS FAR (Morocco)

‎Bayelsa Queens (Nigeria)

‎Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)

‎Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

‎JKT Queens (Tanzania)