Four Super Eagles players were honoured at the 12th Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony held at the Ibis Hotel on Toyin Street, Ikeja Lagos on Tuesday.
The awards covered performances from the 2025 football season, and the players were rewarded for their impressive showing for club and country.
Victor Osimhen won two awards, emerging as the King of the Pitch and the Rashidi Yekini Award for Best Striker of the Year.
Fulham’s duo of Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were named midfielder of the year and defender of the year respectively.
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali won the goalkeeper of the year award, beating the likes of Maduka Okoye and Kayode Bankole to the honour.
The Super Falcons were not left out with captain Rasheedat Ajibade winning the Queen of the Pitch award, while Justine Madugu won the coach of the year award after guiding the team to the 2024 WAFCON.
Remo Stars were recognised as Team of the Year.
In the other categories, The Nigeria Police Force and Niger Delta Development Commission were presented with the Special Achievement in Sports Award.
Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno was recognised as Football Friendly Governor of the Year, while MTN Nigeria won the Corporate Sponsor of Football Award.
Lagos State won the award for Best Grassroots Football Development Programme, while the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo was named Football Pitch of the Year.
In the journalism categories, New Telegraph’s Charles Diya won the Print Journalist of the year award, Anthony Bekederemo of Brila FM won the radio category, Cecilia Omorogbe of Channels won the television category.
Samuel Ahmadu of Savid News was named the Online Journalist of the year.
Meanwhile, The President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, Shina Phillips has backed the ongoing reforms in Nigerian football.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking a bold step to reform Football in Nigeria, while also urging the stakeholders to support the reform.
He said: “The ongoing reforms within the relevant regulatory institutions present both opportunities and responsibilities. Reform, by its very nature, demands courage, transparency, accountability, and a willingness to embrace better ways of doing things,”
Mr Philips announced that the Nigeria Pitch Awards will introduce an Emerging Star Award from its next edition.
The category will recognise Nigeria’s most promising football starlet under 18 and is intended to encourage competition and talent development at the grassroots level.
He also announced that voting for the 2026 edition will begin in December, while the 13th award ceremony, scheduled for 2027, will be preceded by a symposium.
Full List of Winners at the 12th Nigeria Pitch Awards Ceremony
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR Stanley Nwabali Chippa United F.C
DEFENDER OF THE YEAR Calvin Bassey Fulham F.C
MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR Alex Iwobi- Fulham F.C
RASHIDI YEKINI AWARD FOR THE BEST STRIKER OF THE YEAR – Victor Osimhen Galatasaray S.K
TEAM OF THE YEAR – Remo Stars F.C
COACH OF THE YEAR -Justine Madugu Super Falcons
SAM OKWARAJI AWARD – Kunle Soname Bet9ja
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORTS AWARD NIGERIA POLICE FORCE
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORTS AWARD NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
STATE WITH THE BEST GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME – Lagos State
FOOTBALL PITCH OF THE YEAR – Godswill Akpabio Int’l Stadium Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
FOOTBALL FRIENDLY GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR – His Excellency, Umo EnoAkwa Ibom State
CORPORATE SPONSOR OF FOOTBALL AWARD – MTN Nigeria Telecom
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD – Hon. Kunle Soname Chairman, Remo Stars FC
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – PRINT Charles Diya New Telegraph Newspapers
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – TV Cecilia Omorogbe Channels TV
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – RADIO Anthony Bekederemo
Brila 88.9 FM FOOTBALL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – ONLINE Samuel Ahmadu Savid News/ Nigeriafootball.ng
QUEEN OF THE PITCH – Rasheedat Ajibade PSG Feminine
KING OF THE PITCH – Victor Osimhen
