World Relays: Team Nigeria’s Participation in Doubt Due To Visa Hitches

World Relays: Team Nigeria’s Participation in Doubt Due To Visa Hitches

Sampson Adedeji

Nigeria's participation in the 2025 World Relays, set to take place in Guangzhou, China, on May 10–11, is currently uncertain due to ongoing visa challenges, according to a report by BSNSports.com.ng.

Team Nigeria is expected to depart for China on May 5. However, a senior official from the National Sports Commission (NSC) told The Guardian that, as of yesterday, neither the athletes nor their officials had been issued entry visas.

The visa delay is affecting both home-based athletes and those travelling from the United States and other international locations. The official emphasized that the issue does not lie with the Nigerian delegation.

“The organisers insist on processing only the list of participants submitted by World Athletics, rather than the delegation list we provided,” the official explained.

“This process is quite different from what we experienced during the World Indoor Championships.”

With just days to go, the uncertainty casts a shadow over Nigeria’s potential appearance at the event in Guangzhou.