Nigerian Referees Missing Again As CAF Announces 70 Match Officials for CHAN 2024

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the list of match officials appointed for the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, which is set to take place from 2–30 August 2025 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

A total of 70 match officials have been selected, including 26 referees, 26 assistant referees, and 18 Video Match Officials (VMOs) representing over 30 CAF Member Associations across the continent. However, there are no Nigerian referees on the list of appointed match officials, despite Nigeria being one of the participating countries and a prominent footballing nation in Africa.

The announcement highlights CAF’s commitment to gender inclusion, with several women officials appointed to the prestigious tournament. Nevertheless, it also underscores the continued oversight of Nigerian referees in major competitions.

Notable among the list published on CAF’s website on Thursday, Bouchra Karboubi of Morocco and Shamirah Nabadda of Uganda lead the list of women referees selected, while Diana Chikotesha (Zambia) and Atezambong Fomo Carine (Cameroon) return as experienced assistant referees.

Included among the Video Match Officials are Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt), Samir Guezzaz (Morocco), and Ghorbal Mustapha (Algeria), emphasising CAF’s focus on high-level technical support during the competition.

All match officials are expected to arrive in the host nations prior to kick-off for final preparations, including a pre-tournament referees’ workshop covering both theoretical and practical sessions to ensure alignment with CAF’s officiating protocols and the use of technological tools such as VAR.

CHAN 2024 will kick off on 2 August 2025, with matches scheduled across Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala, culminating in the final on 30 August.

Referees
– Adissa Abdoul Raphiou Ligali (Benin)
– Messie Jessie Oved Nvoulou (Congo)
– Kpan Clement Franklin (Côte d’Ivoire)
– Malala Kabanga Yannick (DR Congo)
– Ahmed Nagy Mosa Mahmoud (Egypt)
– Tsegay Teklu Mogos (Eritrea)
– Jammeh Lamin N. (Gambia)
– Nyagrowa Dickens Mimisa (Kenya)
– Ahmed Abdulrazg (Libya)
– Diakhate Ousmane (Mali)
– Milazare Patrice (Mauritius)
– Loutfi Bekouassa (Algeria)
– Diouf Adalbert (Senegal)
– Jelly Chavani (South Africa)
– Ahmed Arajiga (Tanzania)
– Aklesso Gnama (Togo)
– Melki Mehrez (Tunisia)
– Lucky Razake Kasalirwe (Uganda)
– Vincent Kabore (Burkina Faso)
– Brahamou Sadou Ali (Niger)
– Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)
– Mefire Abdou Abdel (Cameroon)
– Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)
– Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)
– Kech Chaf Mustapha (Morocco)
– Houssam Benyahya (Algeria)

Assistant Referees
– Ngila Guilain Bongele (DR Congo)
– Lucky Kegalogetswe (Botswana)
– Sanou Habib Judicael Oumar (Burkina Faso)
– Emery Niyongabo (Burundi)
– Rodrigue Menye Mpele (Cameroon)
– Amaldine Soulaimane (Comoros)
– Alao Salim (Benin)
– Fasika Biru Yehualashet (Ethiopia)
– Jawo Abdul Aziz (Gambia)
– Addy Roland Nii Dodoo (Ghana)
– Mwangi Samuel Kuria (Kenya)
– Joel Wonka Doe (Liberia)
– Nassiri Hamza (Morocco)
– Yacouba Abdoul Aziz (Niger)
– Dieudonne Mutuyimana (Rwanda)
– Omer Hamid Mohammed Ahmed (Sudan)
– Wael Hanachi (Tunisia)
– Ronald Katenya (Uganda)
– Eleyeh Robleh (Djibouti)
– Ettien Eba Medard (Côte d’Ivoire)
– Abeigne Ndong Amos (Gabon)
– Sirak Samuel (Eritrea)
– Ally Hamdani Said (Tanzania)
– Malondi Chany (Congo)
– Adel Abane (Algeria)
– Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Video Match Officials (VMOs)
– Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt)
– Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
– Lahlou Benbraham (Algeria)
– Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia)
– Samir Guezzaz (Morocco)
– Hamza El Fariq (Morocco)
– Issa Sy (Senegal)
– Atcho Prierre Ghislain (Gabon)
– Daniel Lareya (Ghana)
– Abongile Tom (South Africa)
– Yasir Abdalaziz (Sudan)
– Viana Letticia (Eswatini)
– Maria Rivet (Mauritius)
– Akhona Makalima (South Africa)
– Stephen Yiembe (Kenya)
– Atezambong Fomo Carine (Cameroon)
– Jermoumi Fatiha (Morocco)
– Ghorbal Mustapha (Algeria)