12th Nigeria Pitch Awards:  Lookman, Osimhen battle for Rashidi Yekini award ...As Iwobi, Onyeka, Onyedika, Ndidi tango in Best Midfielder category

12th Nigeria Pitch Awards Lookman, Osimhen battle for Rashidi Yekini award
...As Iwobi, Onyeka, Onyedika, Ndidi tango in Best Midfielder category

The Nigeria Pitch Awards on Tuesday unveiled the nominees for its 12th Award Ceremony, reaffirming its commitment to credibility, transparency and the development of football in Nigeria.
The announcement was made at a special luncheon held at Johnwood Hotel, Wuse, Abuja, where the President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Mr Shina Philips, addressed football stakeholders, partners, sports editors, members of the College of Voters and football enthusiasts.
Philips said the luncheon marked the third in a series of engagements designed to appreciate stakeholders for their support over the past 12 years, while also serving as the formal unveiling of nominees for the 12th edition of the awards. He disclosed that voting commenced on October 29, 2025 and ended on November 18, 2025, with what he described as a satisfactory response from voters nationwide.He reiterated that the Nigeria Pitch Awards, since its inception in 2012, has been built on the core values of credibility and transparency, noting that the nomination process followed strict guidelines that have been in place since 2013. Philips commended members of the College of Voters—comprising sports editors and journalists across the country—for their professionalism and dedication.According to him, the collation, auditing and verification of votes were handled by SIAO Partners, the awards’ long-standing Vote Collation and Verification partner. He expressed confidence in the integrity of the process, praising SIAO Partners for over a decade of consistent professionalism.Philips explained that beyond recognising excellence, the Nigeria Pitch Awards serves as a catalyst to encourage greater investment by government and corporate organisations in sports development. He said the carefully selected award categories were designed to spotlight the contributions of footballers, coaches, administrators, journalists, government officials and corporate bodies to the growth of football and sports generally.In a major highlight, Philips announced plans to introduce an annual international Sports Conference as part of the awards programme. He said the conference would bring together local and international sports managers to exchange ideas, adopt modern sports management practices and help Nigeria build a self-sustaining, revenue- and employment-generating sports industry. Philips added that the initiative would particularly benefit the management and growth of domestic leagues, which he described as the foundation of Nigeria’s national teams.He also disclosed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will be honoured with the Special Achievement in Sports Award for its role in sports development through the Niger Delta Games, an initiative aimed at discovering and nurturing talents in the region.Philips noted that the date and venue for the 12th Award Ceremony and the proposed Sports Conference would be announced shortly after the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. He thanked the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation for their sustained support since 2012, while congratulating all nominees and urging them to see their nominations as a call to higher commitment.Meanwhile, nominees across several categories were unveiled at the event. In the Goalkeeper of the Year category are Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars & TS Galaxy FC), Maduka Okoye (Udinese Calcio) and Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United FC). The Defender of the Year nominees include Benjamin Frederick (FCV Dender EH), Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC) and Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest FC).For Midfielder of the Year, Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge) and Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş JK) made the list. The Rashidi Yekini Award for Best Striker of the Year features Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC), Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United) and Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray SK).
The Team of the Year category includes Remo Stars FC, Rivers United FC and the Super Falcons, while Coach of the Year nominees are Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars FC), Finidi George (Rivers United FC) and Justine Madugu (Super Falcons).
Other notable categories include the Sam Okwaraji Award, State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme, Football Pitch of the Year, Football Friendly Governor of the Year, Corporate Sponsor of Football, Sportsmanship Award, and various Football Journalist of the Year categories across print, television, radio and online platforms.
The Queen of the Pitch nominees are Chiamaka Nnadozie, Esther Okoronkwo and Rasheedat Ajibade, while the King of the Pitch category features Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey and Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria Pitch Awards is regarded as one of the country’s most prestigious football honours, celebrating excellence while promoting reforms and sustainable growth in Nigerian sports.