The Nigeria Pitch Awards are awards presented to Nigerian former and present sports people, administrators and journalists in recognition of their positive contributions to sports in Nigeria. Initiated by Matchmakers Consult International Limited and approved by the

Nigeria Football Federation The Nigeria Football Federation (known as Nigeria Football Association until 2008) is Nigeria's football governing body. It was formally launched in 1945 and formed the first Nigerian national football team in 1949. It joined CAF in 1959 and FIF ...

, the first Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was held on November 16, 2013 in

Calabar Calabar (also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari and Kalabar) is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language. The city is adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa rivers and cre ...

Cross River State ) , image_map = Nigeria - Cross River.svg , map_alt = , map_caption = Location of Cross River State in Nigeria , coordinates = , coor_pinpoint ...

, Nigeria.

Ceremonies

*2013 – 1st Nigeria Pitch Awards *2015 – 2nd Nigeria Pitch Awards *2016 3rd Nigeria Pitch Awards *2017 4th Nigeria Pitch Awards *2018 5th Nigeria Pitch Awards

Past editions

1st Nigeria Pitch Awards

The first edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards was held on November 16, 2013 at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, Cross River State with notable sports and government personalities in attendance.

Winners

*Goalkeeper of the Year –

Vincent Enyeama Vincent Enyeama (born 29 August 1982) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Despite his below-average height for a goalkeeper, he is popularly regarded as one of the greatest African goalkeepers of all time a ...

*Defender of the Year –

Godfrey Oboabona Godfrey Itama Oboabona (born 16 August 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Georgian club FC Dinamo Batumi as a centre-back. Club career Oboabona was born in Ondo City, and began his professional career with local club ...

*Midfielder of the Year –

Mikel John Obi Mikel John Obi (born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna; 22 April 1987) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Mikel began his career with local club Plateau United, before joining Norwegian club Lyn at ...

*Striker of the Year –

Emmanuel Emenike Emmanuel Chinenye Emenike (born 10 May 1987) is a Nigerian former footballer who played as a striker. He most recently played for Belgian club Westerlo. Club career Delta Force F.C. Emenike started his football career with Delta Force. At t ...

*Coach of the Year –

Stephen Keshi Stephen Okechukwu Keshi (23 January 1962 – 7 June 2016) was a Nigerian football player and manager. During his playing career, Keshi played as a defender and earned 60 caps for the Nigeria national team, making him the nation's second-most ...

*Manager of the Year – Felix Anyansi-Agwu *Club of the Year –

Kano Pillars F.C. Kano Pillars Football Club is a Nigerian professional football (soccer), football club based in Kano (city), Kano, North Western part of Nigeria. They play in the lower division in Nigerian football, the Nigeria National League. Their home stadi ...

*Referee of the Year – Jelili Ogunmuyiwa *Players' Agent of the Year – John Olatunji Shittu *State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme –

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, states, it is both the List of Nigerian states by population, most populous and List of Nigerian state ...

*Football Journalist of the Year (Print) –

Ade Ojeikere Ade Ojeikere is a Nigerians, Nigerian sports analyst and columnist who works as a sports editor for ''The Nation (Nigeria), The Nation Newspaper'' after a stint with ''Thisday, ThisDay Newspaper''. On November 16, 2013, he won the "Football Journal ...

*Football Journalist of the Year (Radio) – Bimbo Adeola *Football Journalist of the Year (TV) – Toyin Ibitoye *Football Achievement Awards –

Aminu Maigari Aminu Maigari is a Nigerian football administrator Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, o ...

, Musa Amadu and Chris Green *Special Recognition Awards –

Jay-Jay Okocha Augustine Azuka Okocha ( ; born 14 August 1973), commonly known as Jay-Jay Okocha, is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He played 73 times for the Nigeria national team between 1993 and 2006, scorin ...

, Rafiu Ladipo, Gideon Akinsola and Paul Bassey

2nd Nigeria Pitch Awards

The 2nd Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was held on June 13, 2015 in

Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plann ...

following a change in the schedule which was originally slated to hold on May 6, 2015 in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

. The ceremony saw Vincent Enyeama, Toyin Ibitoye, Bimbo Adeola and Felix Anyansi-Agwu retain Goalkeeper of the Year, Football Journalist of the Year (TV), Football Journalist of the Year (Radio) and Manager of the Year awards.

Winners

*Goalkeeper of the Year – Vincent Enyeama *Defender of the Year –

Kenneth Omeruo Kenneth Josiah Omeruo (born 17 October 1993) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defender and the captain for Segunda División club Leganés and the Nigeria national team. Omeruo signed for Chelsea from Standard Liège in Jan ...

*Midfielder of the Year – Ogenyi Onazi *Striker of the Year –

Ahmed Musa Ahmed Musa (born 14 October 1992) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward and left winger for Turkish Süper Lig club Sivasspor and the Nigeria national team. Musa became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a F ...

*Referee of the Year – Ferdinand Udoh *Club of the Year – Kano Pillars F.C. *Coach of the Year –

Okey Emordi Felix Okechukwu Emordi is a Nigerian former football player who played for Enugu Rangers International. After his retirement from active football, he went into coaching and went on to guide Enyimba International F.C. to win the 2004 CAF Champions ...

*Manager of the Year – Felix Anyansi-Agwu *Football Friendly Governor of the Year –

Liyel Imoke Liyel Imoke (born 10 July 1961) was elected governor of Cross River State, Nigeria in April 2007, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Background Liyel Imoke hails from Agbo tribe in Abi Local Go ...

*State with the Best Graasroots Football Development Programme – Lagos State *Football Journalist of the Year (Print) – Tana Aiyejina *Football Journalist of the Year (Radio) – Bimbo Adeola *Football Journalist of the Year (TV) – Toyin Ibitoye *Queen of the Pitch –

Asisat Oshoala Asisat Lamina Oshoala MON (born 9 October 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish Liga F club FC Barcelona and the Nigeria women's national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest African female fo ...

*King of the Pitch – Vincent Enyeama

3rd Nigeria Pitch Awards

The 3rd Nigeria Pitch Awards ceremony was held on March 25, 2016, in at Hotel Seventeen in Kaduna. At the ceremony, Assisat Oshoala and Tana Aiyejina retained their awards as Queen of the Pitch and Football Journalist of the Year. The ceremony was witnessed by The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barr. Solomon Dalong, the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, NFF 2nd Vice President, Shehu Dikko and other board members. Also present were Sir Mike Okiro, Chairman, Police Service Commission, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Managing Partner, SIAO Partners, Kunle Soname, Chairman,

Bet9ja Bet9ja is an online Bookmaker, bookmaker company that offers betting on major sporting events operating in Nigeria. Traded under KC Gaming Networks Limited and run by a series of shareholders of multiple nationalities, the website is licensed by ...

, Super Eagles Interim Coach, Samson Siasia, Super Eagles Captain,

and all members of the Super Eagles and coaching crew.

Winners

* Ikechukwu Ezenwa - Goal Keeper of the Year * Chinedu Udoji - Defender of the Year * Paul Onobi - Midfielder of the Year * Odion Ighalo - Striker of the Year * Gbolahan Salami - Rasheedi Yekini Award * Gbolahan Salami - MVP (Men) in the NPFL *

Ngozi Ebere Ngozi Ebere (born 5 August 1991) is a Nigerian Association football, footballer who plays as a defender for Norwegian club Arna-Bjørnar, and internationally for the Nigeria women's national football team, Nigeria women's national team. She was ...

- MVP (Women) in the

Nigeria women Premier League The NWFL Premiership (formerly Nigeria Women Premier League) is the top-level league for women's association football in Nigeria. It is the women's equivalent of the men's league, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The Nigeria Wome ...

* Enyimba FC - Club of the Year * U-17 Golden Eaglet - Team of the Year * Emmanuel Amuneke - Coach of the Year * Kadiri Ikhana - Manager of the Year * Ferdinand Udoh _ Referee of the Year * John Olatunji Shittu - Player’s Agent of the Year * Lagos State _ State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme * H.E Nyesom Wike - Football Friendly Governor of the Year * Tana Aiyejina _ Football Journalist of the Year – Print * Godwin Enakhena - Football Journalist of the Year –Radio * Austin Okon-Akpan _ Football Journalist of the Year –TV * Globacom _ Gold-Corporate Sponsor of Football * Guinness - Silver- Corporate Sponsor of Football * Supersport - Bronze- Corporate Sponsor of Football * Segun Odegbami _ Sam Okwaraji Awards * Amaju Pinnick - Sam Okwaraji Awards *

_ Sam Okwaraji Awards * Asisat Oshoala - Queen of the Pitch * Odion Ighalo - King of the Pitch * HE Nasir El-Rufai - Special Achievement Award * Barr. Solomon Dalong - Special Achievement Award * Sir Mike Mbama Okiro - Special Achievement Award * Dr Mohammed Sanusi - Special Achievement Award * Samson Siasia - Football Achievement Award

References

External links

*{{official website, nigeriapitchawards.com Association football trophies and awards by country Awards established in 2013

Ceremonies

Categories

Players category

Club category

Official's category

State category

Media category

Corporate category

Past editions

1st Nigeria Pitch Awards

Winners

2nd Nigeria Pitch Awards

Winners

3rd Nigeria Pitch Awards

Winners

References

External links