The gold-plated trophy, designed and made in Italy by the same company who have produced the various trophies for Fifa world championships, replaces the old African Unity Cup, won outright by Cameroon last year.

Cameroon's third success in the Nations Cup since 1984 ensured they were the first country to take the trophy three times and therefore earn the right to keep it.

Runners-up Nigeria, who had previously won in 1980 and 1994, would have also kept it had they been able to overcome Cameroon in the dramatic penalty shoot-out in the final in Lagos last February.

The old African Unity Cup was a gift to the Confederation of African Football from the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa and donated ahead of the 1980 finals, hosted by Nigeria.

Ghana take first

First trophy for the Nations Cup competition was the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, named after the Egyptian official who was the first elected president of Caf in 1957.