Organisers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards have officially announced the nominees for the 12th edition of the prestigious ceremony, with top Nigerian football stars Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Asisat Oshoala leading the list across major categories.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 22, 2025, and will honour outstanding performances by Nigerian footballers, coaches, administrators and journalists over the past year.
In the headline King of the Pitch (Men) category, Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray, Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman and Fulham defender Calvin Bassey have been nominated. The Queen of the Pitch (Women) award features goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie alongside Super Falcons stars Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo, highlighting excellence in women’s football.
The Goalkeeper of the Year nominees are Maduka Okoye, Stanley Nwabali and Kayode Bankole, while Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika will compete for Midfielder of the Year honours. In the Defender of the Year category, Benjamin Fredrick, Calvin Bassey and Ola Aina are shortlisted.
For Striker of the Year, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen and Yusuf Anas made the final list. The Football Journalist of the Year (Online) category includes BSN Sports’ Niyi Busari, Samuel Ahmadu and Kunle Solaja of Sports Village Square.
The Coach of the Year award will be contested by Daniel Ogunmodede, Finidi George and Justin Madugu, while Team of the Year nominees include Remo Stars FC, Rivers United FC and the Super Falcons.
Other categories announced include Football Pitch of the Year, featuring Godswill Akpabio Stadium and Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta; Corporate Sponsor of Football, with BetNaija nominated; and Football Friendly Governor, recognising Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno.
Organisers also confirmed the return of the Rashidi Yekini Award, which will be presented to the highest goal scorer in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Ahead of the 12th edition, Lenders Consult International revealed plans to introduce an annual sports conference to be held alongside the awards. The announcement was made by Nigeria Pitch Awards President, Shina Phillips, during a stakeholders’ luncheon in Abuja attended by football administrators, media executives, partners and members of the College of Voters.
Phillips explained that the conference is aimed at expanding the scope of the awards beyond recognition by fostering dialogue, collaboration and investment within Nigeria’s sports industry.
“We are pleased to announce the introduction of our annual sports conference,” Phillips said. “It has been a long-term plan and will feature both local and international speakers, with the goal of renewing national focus on sports development.”
Winners will be selected by a College of Voters comprising over 100 sports editors and journalists drawn from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The voting process is independently audited by SIAO Partners.
Each voter is allowed to nominate two candidates per category, with first-choice selections earning five points and second-choice selections receiving three points. Voting will remain open for six weeks following the release of revised guidelines and criteria.
Phillips reaffirmed confidence in the credibility of the process, describing the Nigeria Pitch Awards as a platform built on “courage, consistency and collaboration.”
