Nigeria Sets Sights On Best-Ever Commonwealth Games Campaign in Scotland

Nigeria Sets Sights On Best-Ever Commonwealth Games Campaign in Scotland

By BSN Sports 

Team Nigeria will begin its campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with a clear objective of delivering the country's most successful outing in the competition's history, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

A 72-member contingent will compete across 10 sports, with the National Sports Commission (NSC) targeting a record 20 gold medals—an achievement that would eclipse Nigeria's previous best of 12 gold medals recorded at the Birmingham 2022 Games.

The team concluded a three-week high-performance training camp in Aberdeen before moving into the Games Village in Glasgow. The first batch of athletes and officials arrived earlier in the week, while the remaining delegation joined them on Friday ahead of the opening ceremony.

Nigeria's medal quest begins with para powerlifting, a discipline that has consistently produced podium finishes for the country at major international events.

Leading the charge is team captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo, the reigning Commonwealth champion, two-time Paralympic gold medallist, four-time world champion and multiple world record holder, who will be aiming to retain the title she won in Birmingham.

She will be joined by reigning world champion Rita Ferdinand, who heads into the Games in outstanding form after equalling the women's world record with a 154kg lift at the African Open Championships in Oran, Algeria. Ferdinand also established a new African record in the women's 79kg category.

On the track, Nigeria will look to world record holder Tobi Amusan and sprint star Kayinsola Ajayi to spearhead its medal ambitions.

Amusan is bidding to become the first athlete to win three consecutive Commonwealth women's 100m hurdles titles, having claimed gold in 2018 and 2022. The 29-year-old has enjoyed an impressive season, winning Diamond League meetings in Rabat and Paris, matching her season's best of 12.28 seconds on three occasions, successfully defending her African title in Ghana and qualifying for the Diamond League Final in Brussels.

Ajayi also arrives in Glasgow in exceptional form. The Auburn University sprinter claimed both the NCAA Indoor 60m and NCAA Outdoor 100m titles before equalling Nigeria's national 100m record of 9.84 seconds for the third time this season. His latest triumph came at the London Diamond League, where he defeated reigning world champion Oblique Seville after achieving the same feat earlier at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.

Nigeria, however, has been dealt a significant setback following the withdrawal of long jump star Ese Brume through injury. The defending Commonwealth champion, who set a Games record with a 7.00m leap in Birmingham, has been replaced by Ruth Usoro, who will compete alongside Prestina Ochonogor in the women's long jump.

In the field events, African record holder Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is expected to challenge for honours in the men's shot put. The two-time African champion holds the continental record of 22.10m and is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's strongest medal prospects.

The boxing team will be led by middleweight Patricia Mbata, who switched international allegiance from Great Britain to Nigeria. Mbata secured gold at the African Games before earning her place on the Commonwealth squad by defeating reigning national champion Blessing Orakwe at the selection trials. She will be making her Games debut.

The National Sports Commission, under Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director General Bukola Olopade, has introduced an enhanced welfare package for athletes, including increased camping allowances, improved travel support and performance bonuses. Gold medallists stand to earn up to $8,000 in combined rewards, while every athlete and official received ₦500,000 in travel support alongside improved local and overseas camping allowances.

Addressing the contingent before their departure for Glasgow, Olopade urged the athletes to justify the Commission's investment by delivering podium finishes, stressing that the level of support provided must be matched by outstanding performances.

Sprinter Favour Ashe commended the quality of the Aberdeen training camp and confirmed that athletes received their camping allowances in full. His remarks echoed those of former world and Olympic wrestling champion Daniel Igali, who had earlier praised the Commission's welfare initiatives.

Nigeria made its Commonwealth Games debut at Auckland 1950, winning a silver medal through high jumper Joshua Majekodunmi. Since then, the country has established itself as one of the Games' leading sporting nations, amassing 271 medals comprising 82 gold, 84 silver and 105 bronze.

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from July 23 to August 2, bringing together approximately 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth Games Associations to compete for 215 gold medals across 11 sports.