Ademola Lookman was named African Player of the Year 2024 at the Confederation of African Football Awards in Marrakech on Monday.
Zambia's Barbra Banda was named African Women's Player of the Year after a successful year with Orlando Pride, where she scored the title-winning goal against Kansas City to ensure her side could claim a first-ever NWSL championship.
Lookman, a former Everton and Fulham striker, took the men's prize ahead of Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, Brighton and Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra, Guinea's Serhou Guirassy and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
His award follows an impressive campaign in which the 27-year-old scored a hat-trick as Atalanta won the Europa League final against unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in May.
His three goals at the African Cup of Nations also helped Nigeria reach the final in Ivory Coast where they were defeated by the competition's hosts.
Lookman becomes the seventh Nigerian to receive the award, succeeding last year's winner Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria International was going through a rough patch during his final days in the Premier League. His attempt at a Panenka penalty in 2020 against West Ham, which was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski, remains infamous as Fulham lost 1-0 and were relegated later that season.
Referring to the low point during his winning speech, Lookman said:
“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the whole world. Four years later I am the best player in Africa.
“To the young children and people who see this: Don't let your failures weigh you down so much that they break your wings. Turn your pain into your strength and keep flying.”
AFCON winners Ivory Coast were named National Men's Team of the Year, while Nigeria claimed the Women's prize.
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