As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the story of the nation’s sports mirrors the country itself: flashes of brilliance, a history of global recognition, but today mired in underachievement, poor planning, and unfulfilled potential. For generations, sports have been Nigeria’s strongest source of national unity.
In a land often divided along ethnic and religious lines, nothing binds Nigerians together like sports. Yet, despite the passion of the people and the talent of the athletes, Nigeria’s sporting fortunes have steadily declined. The return of the National Sports Commission (NSC) by President Bola Tinubu in October 2024 was supposed to mark a turning point.
With Shehu Dikko appointed Chairman and Bukola Olopade as Director-General, expectations were high that a new era of professionalism, funding, and planning would restore Nigeria’s lost glory. Almost a year later, that optimism is giving way to fresh doubts, even as the budget for sports has ballooned from N10 billion in the past to over N100 billion annually.
The burden of history
Nigeria’s sporting story is one of promise, achievement, and unfulfilled potential. Long before independence, the seeds of greatness had already been planted. At the 1948 London Olympics, Adegboyega Adedoyin competed under the British flag, an unusual feat for a colonial subject at the time.
Six years later, Emmanuel Ifeajuna wrote his name into history as the first Black African to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. Their exploits gave the world an early glimpse of Nigeria’s sporting potential.
Boxing offered the first true taste of global recognition. In 1957, Hogan “Kid” Bassey became Nigeria’s first world champion after winning the World Featherweight title. Two years later, Dick Tiger added the World Middleweight crown.
These victories were more than sporting milestones — they were symbols of a people eager to prove themselves on the world stage. With independence in 1960, the momentum grew. At the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Nojeem Maiyegun won Nigeria’s first Olympic medal, a bronze in boxing. By the 1970s, the country had begun to back ambition with infrastructure.
The National Stadium in Lagos was completed in 1972, and Nigeria successfully hosted the 1973 All-Africa Games. Athletes like Modupe Oshikoya, who dominated in track and field, became household names, carrying the country’s flag with pride at continental and Commonwealth competitions. The 1980s produced what many regard as the first golden era. The Green Eagles’ victory at the 1980 African Cup of Nations in Lagos cemented football’s place as the national sport.
Stars like Atanda Musa in table tennis and Nduka Odizor in tennis brought international attention, while Hakeem Olajuwon rose to stardom in the NBA. Olympic medals in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988 confirmed Nigeria as more than just a participant in global competitions. The 1990s, however, remain Nigeria’s undisputed peak.
The Super Eagles won the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia and, months later, thrilled the world at their first FIFA World Cup appearance in the United States.
Two years later, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics delivered unforgettable moments: Chioma Ajunwa’s gold medal in the women’s long jump — Nigeria’s first Olympic gold — and the U-23 “Dream Team’s” stunning football triumph over Brazil and Argentina. For many, it was the ultimate proof that Nigeria could match and even defeat the best.
That golden age was more than a collection of trophies. It was a declaration that Nigeria had the talent, drive, and audacity to stand tall in global sport.
Yet, more than two decades later, those triumphs feel like a distant memory. Administrative turmoil, inconsistent planning, and wasted talent have made progress uneven. Today’s athletes carry not just the hopes of a nation but also the weight of history — the burden of living up to an era when Nigeria once stood at the pinnacle of world sport.
A new dawn or same old story?
When President Tinubu announced the scrapping of the Ministry of Sports Development and the revival of the National Sports Commission (NSC), it was hailed as a bold step. Many saw it as a necessary departure from years of political interference and bureaucratic bottlenecks that had crippled Nigerian sports.
The expectation was that a specialised, professional body would steer the sector with focus and expertise. The appointments of Dikko, a former Chairman of the League Management Company, and Bukola Olopade, a respected sports entrepreneur, only deepened optimism.
For once, it seemed that Nigerian sports had found administrators who combined experience with vision. And in fairness, the past year has not been without its bright spots. The D’Tigress continued their dominance of African basketball, storming to a fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in Abidjan.
The Super Falcons also reclaimed their Women’s African Cup of Nations title in Morocco. The two teams returned home to unprece- dented recognition, cash gifts, national honours, and even apartments, courtesy of the President. On the surface, these successes paint the picture of a sector on the rebound, proof that Nigerian talent and resilience remain intact.
Yet beneath the headlines, the cracks remain visible. Nothing defines Nigeria’s sporting identity like football. Yet the Super Eagles are on the brink of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With just 11 points from eight matches, the road to qualification looks bleak. One of the loudest promises of the new NSC leadership was infrastructure renewal. Yet, a year later, not a single stadium has been renovated.
The Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo remains Nigeria’s only venue that meets international standards. The National Stadium in Lagos and the Abuja National Stadium remain shadows of their former selves, despite billions being earmarked annually. The much-touted RHINSE agenda (Reengineering Nigerian Sports Ecosystem) has so far produced more press releases than physical results.
It is a contradiction: sports now receive over N100 billion annually, yet fans cannot point to even one functioning world-class facility funded by the government. When Dikko unveiled the RHINSE Agenda — a blueprint meant to re-engineer Nigerian sports — it was marketed as a revolution.
But almost a year later, skepticism is mounting. Critics argue that beyond conferences and photo-ops, there is little evidence of real implementation. Grassroots sports development remains neglected, federations complain of underfunding, and athletes still groan about poor welfare.
Governance without board
Ex-international and sports activist Harrison Jalla has been one of the loudest critics of the current system. He argues that while President Tinubu deserves praise for restoring the NSC and boosting funding, the structure is incomplete without a governing board. “The NSC remains a defective structure without a functional board, and all its activities currently lack the force of law,” Jalla told Daily Trust.
“President Tinubu must, without further delay, inaugurate the National Sports Commission Board in consonance with the Establishment Act of 2023.” “We need to return to the fundamentals that worked for us in the past,” said former Super Eagles defender, Sam Sodje. “Football, athletics, basketball, boxing — every sport thrives on proper planning and organisation.
With- out structure, we will continue to go in circles. What Nigerians are waiting for now is a clear blueprint from the Sports Commission — something well articulated, easy to understand, and open to public evaluation. At the moment, we haven’t seen that level of progress. Until we have a structured roadmap, it will be difficult to measure where we are headed.”
Experts point way forward
Friday Ekpo, a former Super Eagles mid- fielder, also weighed in, stressing that Nigeria’s problem has never been about a lack of talent but about how that talent is managed. “The talent is still here, and it’s everywhere you look,” he said.
“Take Tobi Amusan, for instance — she has shown the world that a Nigerian can rise to the very top in athletics, breaking records and inspiring millions. Look at our youth teams; despite all the challenges, they continue to produce exciting players year after year.
Look at D’Tigress, our women’s basketball team, who have dominated Africa and shown they can compete with the best globally. These examples prove that Nigeria is still blessed with raw ability across different sports.
“What is missing is the structure and the right kind of support. If we provide the athletes with the facilities, coaching, and welfare they de- serve, Nigeria can return to dominating Africa and even the world. But the system must work. Until the foundations are strong, individual brilliance alone will not be enough to take us back to the heights we once enjoyed.” Segun Adebeso, a respected sports marketing consultant, believes that Nigeria is standing at a crossroads.
For him, the revival of the NSC will only carry meaning if it goes be- yond political fanfare and truly addresses the structural problems that have long plagued the sector. “Unless the NSC shifts focus from political showmanship to real development, Nigeria risks squandering yet another opportunity to reclaim its lost glory,” Adebeso warned.
He added that: “For instance, if Nigeria does not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which would mean missing the biggest football event two times in a row, it won’t just be a football tragedy, it will symbolise the deeper rot in our sporting system.
The economic implication is really unquantifiable. Apart from the more than N18 billion the Super Eagles would earn simply by featuring in the group stage alone, the indirect benefits are enormous.
We are talking about the boost from sales of Super Eagles jerseys and other merchandise, increased marketing and sponsorship opportunities, as well as the global exposure that comes with participation. All of that would be lost if Nigeria fails to qualify.”
