The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will send a 15-member delegation to Nigeria on Friday for the second and final inspection of facilities ahead of the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly and the 2026 CAF Awards.
The inspection will assess venues, hotels, airports and other essential infrastructure in Abuja and Lagos to determine their readiness for the two major continental football events.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly is scheduled to hold at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja on Saturday, November 21, while the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will take place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos on Monday, December 7.
The delegation will be led by CAF Head of Safety and Security, Dr Christian Emeruwa, and is expected to arrive in Lagos on Friday afternoon before beginning its inspection and engaging with key stakeholders.
In Lagos, the team will inspect the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Eko Hotel & Suites and Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The delegation will also meet officials of the Lagos State Government to review preparations and address any outstanding issues ahead of the awards ceremony.
In Abuja, the CAF officials will assess facilities at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Transcorp Hilton Hotel and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. They are also scheduled to pay courtesy visits to the chairman and director-general of the National Sports Commission as part of efforts to strengthen coordination with Nigerian sports authorities.
The visit follows an initial inspection conducted between July 31 and August 4, during which CAF officials met representatives of institutions and government agencies expected to play key roles in hosting the events.
Those discussions focused on improving communication, clarifying responsibilities and establishing arrangements to support the smooth delivery of both events. The final inspection is expected to enable CAF to evaluate progress and identify any remaining requirements.
A six-member team from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Dr Ademola Olajire, will accompany the CAF delegation during the inspections in Lagos and Abuja.
The NFF team is expected to facilitate coordination between CAF officials, government agencies and the institutions responsible for providing the venues and supporting services.
With the General Assembly scheduled for November and the awards ceremony set for December, the inspection marks a significant stage in Nigeria’s preparations to host two major events on the African football calendar.
