Nov 3, 2017: Three Nigerian players are now in line for consideration for continental football awards in January after being listed among nominees by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The three players include overseas-based Victor Moses and William Troost-Ekong who have been nominated for the African Player of the Year award.
Egypt-based Junior Ajayi who plays for Egyptian side Al Ahly has also been nominated for the African Player of the Year Based in Africa 2017 award.
The NigeriaNews reports that 30 players each have been nominated for the two topmost categories of the awards.
The winner of each award will be decided by votes from a selected group.
These are the Head Coaches/Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF, members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee and a panel of Media Experts.
NAN reports that the Awards Gala will be held on Jan. 4 in Accra, Ghana.
Nigerian energy giants Aiteo are the headline sponsors of the awards’ 2017 edition, after taking over from Nigerian telecommunications company Glo.
The awards will see players, officials and administrators who distinguished themselves exemplary during the year under review being honoured for their efforts towards the development of the game on the continent.
Following are the list of nominees in the two categories:
African Player of the Year (Foreign Based)
Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon)
Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)
Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle)
Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye)
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United)
Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun)
Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla)
Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)
Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice)
Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana)
Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)
Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)
Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor)
Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk)
Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)
Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid)
Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)
Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)
William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor)
Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)
Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail)
Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille)
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Alkhaly Bangoura (Guinea & Etoile du Sahel)
Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & Al Masry)
Ayman Majid (Morocco & FUS Rabat)
Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
Dean Furman (South Africa & Supersport United)
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Elsamani Saadeldin (Sudan & Al Merreikh)
Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)
Fawzi Chaouchi (Algeria & MC Alger)
Geoffrey Serunkuma (Uganda & KCCA)
Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport)
Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly)
Karim Aouadhi (Tunisia & CS Sfaxien)
Mohamed Meftah (Algeria & USM Alger)
Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
Muaid Ellafi (Libya & Ahly Tripoli)
Nasr Eldin Ahmed (Sudan & Hilal Obeid)
Oussama Darfalou (Algeria & USM Alger)
Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Sabelo Ndzinisa (Swaziland & Mbabane Swallows)
Saber Khalifa (Tunisia & Club Africain)
Saladin Said (Ethiopia & Saint George)
Sylvain Gbohouo (Cote d’Ivoire & TP Mazembe)
Tady Etekiama (DR Congo & AS Vita)
Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)