The Federal Ministry of Sports in Nigeria has unveiled the list of sports in which the country will participate in the upcoming 13th African Games, scheduled from March 8 to March 23 in Ghana.
The announcement was made during a meeting with various sports federations on Thursday.
Nigeria is set to compete in 23 sports, including athletics, badminton, cycling, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, wrestling, and others.
Additionally, three demonstration sports – mixed martial arts, scrabble, and teqball – will be part of the Nigerian contingent at the African Games.
In preparation for the Olympics in Paris, France, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, Nigeria is focusing on 12 sports to ensure a podium finish.
The sports include athletics, boxing, canoeing, wrestling, basketball (women), badminton, football (women), rowing, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, and weightlifting.
The ministry is actively supporting athletes and sports federations to ensure optimal preparation and representation in these prestigious continental and global sporting events.
Amaka Ashiofu, Acting Director, Federation, Elites and Athletes Development (FEAD) who made the announcement said”
“We have qualified three athletes in athletics, and they are Tobi Amusan for women’s 100m, Ezekiel Nathanial for men’s 400m, and Edose Egbadi for men’s 800m.
“So far, these are the three athletes that have qualified in athletics, but there are still qualifications going on for the Olympics, and we are sure more athletes will qualify.
“We also have three boxers that have qualified. They are Olaitan Olaore in the men’s 92kg category, Dolapo Omole in the men’s 57kg category, and a lady, Cynthia Ogunsimilore, who will fight in the women’s 60kg category.
“For canoeing, we have two persons: Ayomide Bello for the women C2 500m and Beauty Etuku for the women C1 200m.
“Women Road Race has Ese Ukpesereva, while wrestling, for now, has Odunayo Adegoroye in the women’s freestyle 57kg.
“These are the qualified athletes we have under these sports, and, as I said, qualification is still ongoing, and more sports and athletes will qualify.
“The remaining sports on the path for qualification are basketball (women), badminton, football (women), rowing, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, and weightlifting,”
The Nigerian Paralympic team is also gearing up for the Paralympics with plans to participate in para-athletics, para-powerlifting, para-table tennis, para-badminton, and para-canoeing.
Thecla Opara, Acting Director, Para Sports, also spoke on the preparation for the Paralympics.
“Para Athletics has two athletes already qualified, and more are on the pathway to qualification.
“Ten athletes are on the pathway to qualification in para powerlifting, while para table tennis has nine athletes confirmed for the games.
“They are also to attend more qualifiers before the Games in August.
“Para-badminton has eight athletes on the pathway to qualification as they are attending more qualifiers, while Para Canoeing has one qualified athlete and more on the pathway to qualify,” Opara said.
She said that the ministry was working assiduously to identify camps in Abuja and Lagos, depending on the number of athletes that have qualified in preparation for the Games.
