A five-member delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has arrived in Abuja to begin inspecting facilities proposed by Nigeria to host the organisation’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly and the annual CAF Awards ceremony.

The inspection follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval, granted two months ago during the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, for Nigeria to host the two flagship CAF events at the request of CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe.

Leading the inspection is CAF’s Head of Safety and Security, Dr. Christian Emeruwa. Other members of the delegation are Mohammed Bakeer (Technology), Inas Ahmed (Travel and Accommodation), Salah Mostafa (Transport), and Hervé Dassoundo (Branding).

The team on Friday inspected facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as part of its assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness for the events.

On Saturday, the delegation is scheduled to inspect the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, the proposed venue for the CAF Congress, as well as the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, which is expected to host delegates.

The CAF Congress is the Confederation’s largest non-competition event, bringing together football administrators from across the continent to deliberate on key issues affecting African football. Nigeria has previously hosted the Congress twice, in 1980 and 2009.

The inspection tour will continue on Sunday in Lagos, where the CAF officials will assess the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, proposed as the venue for the CAF Awards, alongside the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and EKO Hotel & Suites.

The CAF delegation is being accompanied by a five-member team from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), comprising the Director of Media and Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire; Director of Marketing, Mr. Alizor Chuks; Head of Security, Mr. Barnabas Joro; Chief Protocol Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ayanbunmi; and Head of ICT, Mr. Tasiu Riskuwa Shehu.

The inspection is expected to determine Nigeria’s readiness to host the two major continental football events, which would bring together football administrators, dignitaries and stakeholders from across Africa.