Lagos, Nigeria — The Nigerian American Football Association (NAFA) has successfully hosted the NAFA FAME Awards & End-of-Year Party, celebrating a landmark year that underscored Nigeria’s rapid rise within African and global American football and flag football.

Held on 15 December 2025, the event brought together national team athletes, coaches, institutional partners, sports administrators, and key stakeholders from across the country. The evening featured a red-carpet reception followed by the presentation of the FAME Awards, during which over 20 awards were presented to deserving individuals and organisations spanning national team athletes, partner organisations and brands, as well as NAFA staff members — in recognition of excellence, service, and contribution across the ecosystem.

The celebration followed a defining season for the Association, headlined by Team Nigeria’s historic triumph at the inaugural African Flag Football Championship, the first-ever continental championship for the sport in Africa. Nigeria claimed gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories, emerging as continental champions and establishing itself as Africa’s leading flag football nation. This breakthrough success translated into immediate global recognition, with Nigeria entering the international rankings for the first time; the women’s national team ranked 29th globally and the men’s national team ranked 32nd worldwide, rising from previously being unranked in both categories.

The year’s achievements were further reinforced by the recent upgrade of NAFA’s membership status to an Associate Member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), strengthening Nigeria’s position within the global American football community.

In 2025, NAFA also recorded significant domestic impact, reaching all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria as part of its deliberate national growth strategy. Additionally, Season 4 of the Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football League (NSSFFL) engaged over 4,000 student-athletes, representing the largest single gathering of flag football participants in Africa.

Speaking at the event, Babajide Akeredolu, President of the Nigerian American Football Association, reflected on the significance of the year and the Association’s forward focus.

“This year represents a turning point for American football in Nigeria. Winning gold in both categories at Africa’s first-ever championship and earning our first global rankings shows how far we’ve come. As we move into 2026, our focus is clear, building out the Nigeria Collegiate Flag Football League using the lessons from four seasons of the NSSFFL, strengthening our national team pathways, and preparing deliberately for the World Championships in Germany. These milestones confirm that Nigeria belongs on the global stage,” Akeredolu said.

The event was well attended by a broad cross-section of organisations and stakeholders from across Nigeria’s sports, media, corporate, and development ecosystem. Present at the ceremony were representatives of the Community Flag Football League (CFFL), Showtime Flag Football League, Abuja Flag Football League, and the Ogun State Flag Football League, alongside national sports institutions including the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Committees of Sports from the National Assembly, Lagos State Sports Commission and the Ogun State Ministry of Youth and Sports. The private sector and professional services community were represented by Perchstone & Graeys, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation, Stretford Hill Limited, Cask & Crate, Unique Open University, and Tantum Bank. Media coverage and sports content partnerships were supported by Brila Media Group, News Central, Channels Television, Sports Nigeria Ltd, and Fan Africa. Also in attendance were representatives of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, the Nigerian American Football Outreach Foundation, and the parents of Bobby Okereke, reflecting the strong institutional, community, and family support surrounding the sport’s growth.

A key highlight of the evening was the recognition of institutional partners whose belief and sustained support have been instrumental to NAFA’s progress. Unique Open University was honoured for providing scholarships to NSSFFL champions, reinforcing the pathway between sport, education, and opportunity. The Lagos State Sports Commission was also recognised through its former Chairman, Sola Aiyepeku, acknowledged as one of the earliest institutional supporters of NAFA’s ambition to grow American football in Nigeria.

The night was not complete without a strong message from NAFA’s biggest partner, BROWNS NIGERIA who also announced their plans to donate 2000 American Footballs to Nigerian Schools and other American Football programs across the country.

In the athlete recognition category, Akintomide Mofeoluwa and Udombat Edidiong were named winners of the MVP Players’ Choice Awards, celebrating their outstanding performances and the respect they command among their peers.

Beyond celebrating achievements, the End-of-Year Party served as a platform to outline NAFA’s ambitions for 2026 — including the expansion of the Nigeria Collegiate Flag Football League (NCFFL), deeper institutional integration of collegiate programs, and intensified preparations for the 2026 World Championships in Germany.

The NAFA FAME Awards & End-of-Year Party stands as both a celebration of excellence and a clear statement of intent — highlighting a federation that has moved from unranked to globally competitive in record time.