CAF names 70 party officials for Chan 2025, without Nigerian referees included

The African Football Confederation (CAF) has officially published the list of 70 party officials designated for the 2025 African Nations Championship (Chan 2025), which will be held from August 2 to 30 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The list consists of 26 referees, 26 assistant arbitrators and 18 video officials (VMO) extracted from more than 30 associations of CAF members in Africa.

However, in a notable omission, the Nigerian referees, the assistant referees or the officials of VAR were not included.

Complete list of designated match officials

Referees:

1. Adissa Abdoul Rashu Ligali (Benin)

2. Messie Jessie Oved Nouvolou (Congo)

3. Kpan Clement Franklin (Ivory Coast)

4. Malala Kabanga Yannick (Dr Congo)

5. Ahmed Nagy Mosa Mahmoud (Egypt)

6. Tsegay Teklu Mogos (Eritrea)

7. Jammeh Lamin N. (Gambia)

8. Nyaruwoa Dickens Mimisa (Kenya)

9. Ahmed Abdulrazag (Libya)

10. Diakate Ousmane (Mali)

11. Milazae Patrice (Mauricio)

12. Loutfi Bekkouassa (Algeria)

13. Diouf Adalbert (Senegal)

14. Jelly Alfred Chavani (South Africa)

15. Ahmed Arjaiga (Tanzania)

16. Akesso Gnana (Togo)

17. Melki Mehrez (Tunisia)

18. Lucky Razake Kasalirwe (Uganda)

19. Vincent Kabore (Burkina Faso)

20. Brahamou Sadou Ali (Niger)

21. Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

22. Mégado Abdou Abdel (Cameroon)

23. Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

24. Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)

25. Kech Chaf Mustopha (Morocco)

26. Houssam Benyahya (Algeria)

Assistant referees:

1. NGILA GUILAIN BUNGGELE (DR CONGO)

2. Lucky Kegakologetse (Botswana)

3. Sanou Habib Judicaelel Oumar (Burkina Faso)

4. Emery Niyongabo (Burundi)

5. RODRIGUE MENYE MPELE (Cameroon)

6. Almadine Saraimane (Comoros)

7. Jaoa Salim (Benin)

8. FASIKA BIRU YEHUALASHET (Ethiopia)

9. Jawo Abdul Aziz (Gambia)

10. Addy Roland Nii Dodoo (Ghana)

11. MWangi Samuel Kuria (Kenya)

12. Joel Wonka Doe (Liberia)

13. Nassiri Hamza (Morocco)

14. Yacouba Abdoul Aziz (Niger)

15. Dieudonne Mutuyimana (Rwanda)

16. Omer Hamid Mohammed Ahmed (Sudan)

17. Wael Hanachi (Tunisia)

18. Ronald Katenya (Uganda)

19. Eleyah Robleh (Djibouti)

20. ETTIEN EBA MEDARD (Ivory Coast)

21. Abegino Ndong Amos (Gabon)

22. Sirak Samuel (Eritrea)

23. Ally Hamdani said (Tanzania)

24. Malondi Chanyi (Congo)

25. Adel Sban (Algeria)

26. Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Video party officials (VMO):

1. Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt)

2. Dahane Beida (Mauritania)

3. Lahlou Benbraham (Algeria)

4. Bamlak Tessema Weyesa (Ethiopia)

5. Samir Guezezz (Morocco)

6. Hamza el Fariq (Morocco)

7. ISSA SY (SEENGAL)

8. ATCHO Pierre Ghislain (Gabon)

9. Daniel Laryea (Ghana)

10. Abongile Tom (South Africa)

11. Yasir Abdallaazi (Sudan)

12. Viana Leticia (Eswatini)

13. Georges Ateme (Cameroon)

14. Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia)

15. Ibrahim Kalilou Traore (Ivory Coast)

16. The Hassan Ahmed (Mauritania)

17. Zohra Akharraz (Morocco)

18. Blaise Siffa (Central Republic of Africa)

Gender representation in offeniation

CAF citations include several high female officials, indicating their growing commitment to inclusion. Among them are Bouchra Karboubi of Morocco, Shamirah Nabadda de Uganda and Diana Chikotesha de Zambia, all of which will officiate in the championship.

There are no Nigerian referees: a lost opportunity

Despite being one of the most outstanding football nations in Africa, Nigeria received no representation in the officiating crew. This absence raises questions about the development route for Nigerian party officials and their competitiveness in the continental stage. It also reflects a similar omission in the previous Chan edition.

The interested parties of football in Nigeria have requested structural reforms to improve training, exposure and accreditation at the level of referee and assistant coffee.

Super Eagles B have been drawn in group D, along with Senegal, Sudan and Congo. All the group stage will be played in Zanzíbar and Dar Es Salaam.

Nigeria vs Senegal
📅 August 2, 2025
📍 Amman Stadium, Zanzíbar

Nigeria vs Sudan
📅 August 6, 2025
📍 Amman Stadium, Zanzíbar

Nigeria vs Congo
📅 August 10, 2025
📍 Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar Es Salaam

Nigeria will hope to make a deep career in the competition despite the lack of presence of its own harvest.

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