NSC challenges Team Nigeria to deliver a record 20 Gold medals in Glasgow

Posted : 08 June 2026

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has set an ambitious benchmark for Team Nigeria ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, challenging the nation's athletes to deliver a record-breaking haul of 20 gold medals.

The target, unveiled by NSC Director General Bukola Olopade, reflects the Commission's determination to elevate Nigeria's status among the leading sporting nations in the Commonwealth and secure a place among the top five countries on the medals table.

Nigeria has never won more than 12 gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games, a feat achieved at the 2022 edition in Birmingham, where Team Nigeria finished with 12 gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze medals. The Birmingham Games also witnessed a historic performance by sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan, whose world-record run in the women's 100m hurdles became one of the defining moments of the competition.

Speaking after a strategic meeting with federation presidents, technical directors, and secretaries in Abuja, Olopade disclosed that the NSC is determined to push beyond current projections and inspire athletes to exceed expectations.

According to him, the Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board, led by former Nigerian long jump star Yusuf Ali, conducted a scientific assessment that projected a return of approximately 16 gold medals and 20 silver medals for Team Nigeria in Glasgow.

However, Olopade insisted that the nation must aim higher.

"Yusuf Ali, the CEO of the Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board, has carried out a detailed scientific assessment and presented his findings to the federations. His projection remains that Nigeria can win close to 16 gold medals and about 20 silver medals," Olopade said.

"But I have told him that is not good enough. We must challenge ourselves and get the federations to work harder for us to achieve 20 gold medals.

"Winning 20 gold medals would place Nigeria among the top five nations at the Commonwealth Games, and that is not too much for Nigerians to ask. Neither is it too much for Nigeria to achieve."

Should Team Nigeria achieve the target, it would represent the country's most successful outing in Commonwealth Games history, surpassing previous records set in Birmingham 2022 and Victoria 1994, where Nigeria won 11 gold medals.

The Glasgow Games now present an opportunity for Nigerian athletes to write a new chapter in the nation's sporting history and establish the country as one of the Commonwealth's dominant forces.

Achieving this unprecedented milestone will require maximum effort from all sports federations, technical teams, and competing athletes. With the right support and preparation, Team Nigeria has the potential to redefine its international sporting legacy. The upcoming competition stands as a critical test of the country's athletic development and global competitiveness.

NSC challenges Team Nigeria to deliver a record 20 Gold medals in Glasgow

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