Nigeria’s Athletics Needs Stronger Support, Technical Dev’t – Olopade

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade, has described Nigeria’s performance at the 2026 World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, as satisfactory, while calling for improved technical preparation, athlete orientation and welfare.

Olopade, a former Commissioner for Sports in Ogun State, said the championships had provided valuable lessons that should be used to strengthen Nigeria’s athletics development programme.

Speaking after the championships, the NSC boss said developmental competitions should be viewed as part of the learning process for countries still building their sports systems.

“Overall, it was satisfactory. You must always understand that developmental events of this nature for countries like Nigeria and other countries that are not there yet have to be a learning curve,” Olopade said.

“We come here, make our mistakes, learn from them and correct them. Not just make mistakes and go back and make the same mistake.”

Olopade said his presence in Oregon enabled him to identify areas where the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) needs to improve, particularly in technical engagement between athletes and officials, athlete orientation and personal welfare.

“I’m particularly glad I came here for this meet because I’ve seen so many things that AFN needs to quickly work on. Technical engagement between officials and athletes, orientation for athletes and also the personal care that young athletes demand,” he said.

He cited the experience of Nigerian athlete Lucy, who was disqualified for a false start, as an example of the emotional support young athletes require at major championships.

According to Olopade, such setbacks can be overwhelming for young athletes, stressing that even established stars have suffered similar disappointments during their careers.

He said Nigeria must create an environment where athletes understand that mistakes are part of development and are supported to recover from difficult moments without losing confidence.
Despite the areas requiring attention, Olopade believes Nigerian athletics is experiencing a significant resurgence, pointing to the performances of several young athletes at the championships.

“There’s a resurgence in our Nigerian athletes without a doubt,” he said.

He highlighted the performances of Miracle Ezechukwu, Jessica Oji, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Favour Asher, Samuel Ogazi and Tobi Amusan as evidence that “something new, something good is happening” in Nigerian athletics.

However, Olopade cautioned against allowing the encouraging performances to conceal the weaknesses that still need to be addressed.

“We’re not there. A lot of failures that must be corrected quickly also,” he said, adding that Nigeria still had “a long way to go” in technical development.

He particularly called for greater investment in coaches, describing Nigerian grassroots coaches as among the best in the world but stressing that they need stronger institutional backing.

“Our coaches are the best coaches, I keep saying it, the best grassroots coaches you can ever find anywhere. But they need help, and we need to support them,” Olopade said.

He assured that the NSC would provide the necessary support to strengthen coaching and athlete development across the country.

On supporting emerging stars such as Nathaniel and Ogazi as they progress towards the senior level, Olopade said the Commission had already begun providing financial and interpersonal support through training grants and direct engagement with athletes.

He disclosed that his interactions with Nigerian athletes based in the United States had also revealed worrying welfare challenges, including difficulties with accommodation and feeding.

“I was shocked to hear an athlete say to me, ‘Sir, I’ve not eaten for days.’ And we took care of that,” he revealed.

Olopade stressed that athlete welfare must go beyond rewards after victories, insisting that athletes require continuous support during preparation and competition.

“Part of doing more is the engagement and, of course, financial support across sports, not just when they win alone,” he said.

He added that the NSC would maintain direct communication with Nigerian athletes wherever they are in the world, assuring them that they could seek assistance whenever necessary.

“You know, I’ve said to all of them, they can call me anytime, tell us what you need, not only in athletics, wherever you are representing Nigeria,” he said.

Olopade further linked the Commission’s approach to the broader sports agenda of President Bola Tinubu, saying the government was committed to ensuring Nigerian athletes receive the financial, mental and performance support needed to compete at the highest level.

He expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome its present challenges, citing the resilience of Nigerian athletes and renewed interest in the country’s athletics programme.

We are Nigerians, our resilience level is the highest in the world, and we will bounce back,” Olopade said.