Joel Ajayi

In the long and colourful history of Nigerian sports, 2025 will be remembered very fondly for the good memories it delivered. It was a year when promise met planning, talent met opportunity, and belief returned to the heart of the nation’s sporting ecosystem.

It was a year defined by a change in narrative, driven with clarity and conviction by the National Sports Commission (NSC) under the steady leadership of its Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and Director General, Honourable Bukola Olopade.

Together, they championed a new era: one rooted in development, transparency, private-sector confidence, and the deliberate nurturing of the next generation.

It was a year of talent discovery and youth emergence, powered by intentional platforms such as the CAA U18/U20 Athletics Championships, the National Youth Games, the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) initiative at the National Sports Festival, the African School Sports Games, and a busy calendar of international competitions.

From these stages emerged young Nigerians who did more than compete but they announced themselves to the world.

At the African U18 & U20 Championships in Abeokuta, Miracle inspired a stunning Nigerian 1–2–3 sweep in the women’s 100m, winning Nigeria’s first gold medal of the championships in 11.88s (-0.4).

Hot on her heels was her training partner Rosemary Nwankwo, who claimed silver in 11.96s, while Mariam Jegede completed the podium with bronze.

The story grew even sweeter. Just one month after sitting for her WAEC examinations at the Nigerian Tulip International School, Abuja, Miracle became a triple African champion, winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and sprint medley relay. She and Rosemary would later dominate again at the African School Games in Algeria, clinching gold and silver respectively; a proof that Nigeria’s future was not just bright, but blazing.

The wave of youth excellence extended beyond athletics.
In the pool, Abdul Jabar Adama swam into Nigerian history.

At just 17, he became the first Nigerian swimmer ever to win a medal at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, claiming silver in the men’s 50m butterfly in Romania with a time of 23.64s.

As if that wasn’t enough, Adama shattered two Nigerian records in one day, turning his silver medal into a golden moment for Nigerian swimming and opening new frontiers for aquatic sports in the country.

These achievements were not accidents. They were the fruits of deliberate investment, exposure, and structured support by the National Sports Commission, which ensured young athletes were properly funded and given opportunities to test themselves on the global stage.
Champions at Every Level
While the youth carried the future, Nigeria’s elite athletes ensured the present remained glorious.

The Super Falcons once again reminded Africa who rules women’s football. In Morocco, Nigeria claimed a historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title, coming from two goals down to defeat the host nation 3–2 in a thrilling final in Rabat. Led by coach Justine Madugu, the Falcons’ triumph was as dramatic as it was dominant.

Their heroics were rewarded at home, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred national honours, landed properties, and a $100,000 cash reward on each player and member of the technical crew: a powerful statement on the value of sporting excellence.

In basketball, D’Tigress carved their names deeper into African history, winning a record fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in Abidjan.

Coach Rena Wakama’s side overturned an early deficit to defeat Mali 78–64, extending their unbeaten AfroBasket run to 29 games over a decade and becoming the first team ever to win the championship five times in a row.

On the badminton court, Eniola Bolaji continued her trailblazing journey. The first African to win an Olympic medal in badminton, Bolaji built on her 2024 Olympic success by reaching six international finals in 2025, winning five, a remarkable year of consistency and dominance.

Nigeria also maintained its global supremacy in scrabble, remained Africa’s queens in basketball, and celebrated multiple podium finishes across sports by athletes competing proudly in green and white.

A Nation on the Move

Beyond medals, 2025 was transformative in structure and scale.

Nigeria hosted an unprecedented number of international events, including the CAA U18/U20 Athletics Championships, African Cycling Tour, West Africa Para Games, African Arm Wrestling Championship, and many more. In total, 11 international sports events were hosted, directly and indirectly benefiting over 50,000 Nigerians through job creation, SME engagement, and tourism-driven economic activity.

The numbers told a compelling story:

• Over ₦50 billion raised as direct and indirect funding for sports development
• 54 sports federations represented Nigeria internationally
  52 federations returned with podium finishes
• Nigeria finished eighth overall at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia, with a record 30-medal haul
  From weightlifting to wrestling, athletics to para-powerlifting, Team Nigeria delivered its best-ever performance at the Games, reaffirming the country’s depth across multiple disciplines.

What made 2025 special was not just the medals, but the method. It was a year where vision met execution, where grassroots met global ambition, and where young Nigerians were shown that excellence is achievable when opportunity is intentional.

Under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the National Sports Commission did more than manage sports, it reimagined it, restoring private-sector confidence, empowering federations, and placing athlete welfare and development at the centre.

As the curtain falls on an unforgettable year, one truth stands tall: Nigerian sports did not just win in 2025, it rediscovered itself.
2026, Here’s to greater things to come!

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